Tears of Ice
by A Cold Touch
Summary: Starting from a drunken mishap to full-blown love, Elsa and Anna have to balance running a kingdom and their taboo love. However, Fate itself was playing a cruel game with them. With a demon Prince hounding them, the two sisters are forced into a twisted tale of love, despair, trauma, and cold revenge. Rated M for later chapters, very dark themes, and for Elsanna.
1. Premonitions

THE GLORIOUS, MAJESTIC MASTERPIECE KNOWN AS FROZEN BELONGS TO MICH- I MEAN DISNEY.

Chapter One: Premonitions

WARNING: Implied Elsa/Anna. There will be eventual Elsa/Anna involved, along with dark themes.

**A/N: **Changed it so the prologue is chapter one instead.

It all started off with a dream.

The black veil that covered Elsa's face peels itself off, releasing her from the sense-depriving darkness. She can breathe. She can see. Cool air filled her lungs and her vision adjusted to the dim lighting. Her wandering soul, which had mysteriously left her body, settled back down in her being. She could tell she was still in her bed, but something wasn't right. There was something lying on her, pinning her against her bed. No, _someone _was pinning her.

Glancing down, Elsa managed to make out the distinctive orange hair that belonged to her sister. Since she was facing her, she couldn't tell whether Anna was awake or not. "A-Anna?" she croaked, her voice dry after some time of no use.

The redhead looked at her in response. Her eyes were filled with a strange emotion, something that Elsa can't pinpoint. Anna crawled up until her face was uncomfortably close to hers. Alien warmth spreads through her body as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. It felt... good. Sinfully good.

Anna whispered to her in a low and provocative voice, "Let this happen Elsa..." The blonde involuntarily whimpered, despite all the voices in her head warning her how wrong this was.

_Stop it Elsa, she's your sister!_

_What will your parents say? What will the people say?_

Anna smirked at her, as if she had read her mind. "Don't tell me you don't want it, Elsa..."

"This is wrong Anna, you know that," she told her. She could tell Anna knew it was wrong but she didn't care. And frankly, a part of her does not care either. But no, she can't go with this. This is a sin! Hellfire and brimstone sure awaits her and her sister if they go with this!

Elsa averted her eyes from her sister's penetrating gaze. "Yeah, but -"

A finger on her lips shushes her protest. Anna moved her hip against hers, and a soft wave pleasure coursed through her veins. "Let it go, Elsa... Let it go and submit to your desires..."

Despite all the dangers, Elsa decided to go through with it. Their faces come closer, and for the first time in forever, Elsa and Anna share their first kiss together.

An explosion of feathers rocked Elsa awake, shocking her out of her dream world. The glaring rays of the morning sun momentarily blinded her, forcing her use her other senses to locate whoever disturbed her. It didn't much for the intruder to reveal their identity to her.

"Wake up Elsa! It's time for breakfast!"

When her vision cleared, she found herself staring right at Anna's face. Despite her raggedy, just-woke-up-from-bed hair, the redhead still looked beautiful. She had a warm smile on her soft lips, and Elsa caught herself fixated on them for a few seconds.

She quickly averted her gaze from her sister. "Alright then," she laughed, masking her nervousness. "Let me fix myself before going downstairs."

"Suit yourself! But don't complain when all the berries are gone!" Anna said as she got off the bed.

As she watched Anna go off for breakfast, the Queen was suddenly lightheaded. The aftershocks of her dream were still fresh in her head, daintily teasing her with the phantom sensation of the kiss. Frustrated, Elsa shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside.

_What the hell am I thinking?_

Elsa kept a stoic expression as she walked over to the dining table. Her sister was busy ravaging a bowl of berries. It was so cute to see her like this, since she reminded Elsa of the time they were children. Another pang of guilt strikes a chord in her, painfully reminding her of her dream.

Looking up through a curtain of red hair, Anna offered her a red berry and said, "Want one?"

"No thanks..." Ela declined. There was a plate of bread and ham right across from Anna. Saying nothing, Elsa sat opposite of her sister and began to absently toy with her warm food.

"So... Are you mad I interrupted your beauty sleep?" Anna asked. A ghost of a smile cracked on the edge of her lips, but it immediately gave way to a mask again.

"You didn't. I just wish you didn't have to break the pillow."

Anna laughed; a musical, cheery sound that Elsa so adored. "Well, is there any better way to wake you up?"

Elsa shook her head, a smile breaking through her mask. Afterwards, the two girls ate in awkward silence. The blonde had pushed away her thoughts for her sister for now, hoping it was all meaningless. After all, it's just a dream, right? There's no way she should be feeling more than just sisterly love for Anna!

"So, guess what Kristoff and I are doing later," Anna blurted out, shattering te silence.

Like a tidal wave, Elsa's dream clawed its way to the front of her mind and proceeded to torment her again. A thin layer of frost formed on her chair as envy and pain started coursing in her. "What?" Elsa asked, her voice nearly betraying her envy and pain

"Elsa are you okay?" Anna asked, worried about her sister's well-being. Elsa nodded, forcing another smile on her face.

The Queen had no choice but to lie to her. "I-I'm fine. So, what are you two going to do later then?"

Anna's face lightened up, "We're going to go sledding with Sven and Olaf! Do you want to come? You know how awesome that would be to sled with you?"

"No, I have royal duties to attend to Anna," Elsa said to her. Her sister's wide, beautiful smile melted and her shoulders slumped dejectedly. As much as Elsa abhors seeing Anna like this, she has to keep her sister safe again. Not from her ice, but from her heart.

Putting her fork down, Elsa got off of her chair. "I have to do something important now, okay?" Elsa then hurriedly exits the dining room despite her half-eaten breakfast plate.

"_Okay bye_..." Anna sung sadly as she watched her sister leave her again.


	2. Doubts and Curses

*gets on stage* Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that I don't own Frozen!

Chapter One: Doubts and Curses

"Wheeeee!"

Clouds of snow drifted into the winter air as Kristoff's sleigh dashed by. The mountain man cracked the reins again, encouraging Sven to go faster. Trees started whizzing by, a brown and white blur in the eyes of Kristoff and Anna.

"This is soooo fuuuuun!" Anna screamed, the wind buffeting her face. Kristoff couldn't help but laugh that her beautiful face was comically distorted by the windshear. Olaf didn't escape the wind's wrath either. His carrot nose was halfway poking out the back of his head, and the part that was on the right side of his head, was precariously bending.

"Where are we going again?" Olaf asked, but the snowman's voice was drowned out by the sound.

Anna gripped the sled's railings to stabilize herself. "Whaaat?" the redhead asked, almost screaming at the top of her lungs to be heard.

"I said, where are we going again?!"

"I caaan't hear you! The wind! It's too loud!"

Kristoff attempted to shout over the wind to answer the two. "We're going to the North Mountain!"

Alas, they didn't understand him. "Huuuh?" Anna and Olaf said in unison. Kristoff momentarily took his eyes off the front of the road.

"I said we're going to the -" He faced the road again and his eyes widen in terror. "SNOWBANK!"

Kristoff yanked the reins mightily to signal for Sven to stop, but it was difficult considering that they're on a speeding sled. Realizing it's too late, Kristoff pulled Anna and Olaf into an embrace. All four of them could only brace for impact and hope for the best.

_POOF!_

Snow was thrown high into the air as the sled tumbled into the pile. After a dozen seconds of forlorn stillness, Anna poked her head out the snow, followed by Kristoff and Sven. "You okay?" the blond coughed as he spat out slushy snow.

"Y-y-yeah..." Anna looked around, trying to find her snowman friend. "But where's O-Olaf?"

Anna's eyes widen when she felt something spindly tug one of her braids. She almost had a heart attack when she whipped her head to face whoever touched her. "Olaf?! What happened to you?!"

Olaf obviously can't respond since his head was missing. The poor, decapitated snowman shrugged and wandered around aimlessly, trying to find his missing head. Pulling herself out the snow pile, Anna brushed off the snow that stuck to her. She helped Kristoff out and Sven simply muscled his way out. More snow blew in the air as the sleigh was freed.

Olaf's head tumbled out from the sled. Giggling Anna gently picked him up. His nose was missing but he didn't look hurt at all. "Here you go, buddy!" She popped his head back on his body, and the snowman gave her a cold hug.

"Thanks Anna!" He gasped in horror when he noticed his carrot was gone. "My nose! Where is it?"

Kristoff brushed off the snow from the sled. It took a few seconds to find the carrot. "Uhhh, Olaf, I think you're going to be upset..." He held up the now broken carrot for Olaf and Anna to see.

"It's okay Olaf, we'll get another one!" Anna cooed, comforting her friend.

She became almost like a mother figure for the little guy, since Elsa was swamped with political affairs. _Elsa_. She still can't understand why her sister was acting strange this morning. It was like what happen five or six months ago, when Elsa was so intent on protecting her from her ice powers she had shut her out. But why would Elsa do that again? What was she protecting her from again?

"Kristoff?"

The mountain man brushed off the last tufts of snow from his sleigh before turning to her. "Yeah?"

"Why are we going to the North Mountain again? That's where Elsa's castle is located, right?"

He nodded and pointed to direction of the mountain. Anna didn't need to squint to see the imposing castle from where they were. There was something... off about it though. The last time she saw it, the frosted fortress was a shade of blue. However, it was not the case this time. It was shifting colors dramatically; from a soft, pink light to a dark green shade to finally deep red.

"I've been wondering why it's been doing that lately. It was always blue before, but now it's acting like a weird rainbow. I bet you that something is going on with Elsa."

The four watched the strange lightshow, mesmerized by colors. A little voice in Anna's head whispered to her that somehow she's involved with this. After all, Kristoff said it just started recently. Anna took a deep breath, promising herself to find and fix this problem before it gets worse. "Kristoff... We have to go back to the castle."

_Meanwhile, back in Arendelle Castle _

Elsa took a deep breath as she lowered herself onto her warm bath. The water's touch felt nice against her cool skin. It was relieving to do such a mundane thing like taking a bath, considering the stress she's been going through lately.

Closing her eyes, she allows her troubles to melt away into the water as she lowered herself neck-deep into the bath. "Ohhhh, sweet, merciful relief..." Opening a bottle of haircare product , she gently lathered her hair with it before rinsing it.

_Political stress_? Gone. _Worries about anything bad happening to Arendelle_? Gone. _The upcoming visit of the Crown Prince of The Southern Isles_? She couldn't care less. _Her growing more-than-just-sisterly love for Anna?_ She faltered momentarily.

Ah yes, Anna_. Her adorable yet beautiful face. The way she smiled at her so warmly whenever she sees her. And her body. Oh sweet God, her body. What'd I'd give to be able to touch her and bring her close to me. _

Her eyes immediately shot open. Rage and confusion swelled inside her like an angry thunderstorm. "Why must I feel this?!" Elsa groaned loudly. She stared at the ceiling, scowling fiercely at the painted clouds above.

Elsa raised her voice against the heavens, demanding an answer. "It was just a dream! Why should you torment me like this? You know it is wrong to feel _this_!"

Silence was her answer. Unfazed, she questioned the heavens again. "Well? Answer me! Is this some sort of sick joke?!"

Once again, the painted clouds gave her no answer. Angry and frustrated, Elsa blasted a squall of ice to the ceiling. The false clouds frosted over but the anger and confusion still raged on inside her. No, this wasn't no earthly problem she can confront like politics. This, the dark taboo love that's taking her over, was starting to be beyond her control.

The temperature fell and snow starting to fall upon the bathroom tiles, born from her feelings. She was desperate to escape this torture but relief fled from her. Elsa grabbed her head as flashes of last night's dream flooded her vision. The bath waters froze into stiff ice, encasing her in the bathtub but she quickly escaped. She fled from the bathtub only to collapse on her knees as her own emotions overwhelmed her again.

"Stop it!" she yelled at herself, trying to drown out her own thoughts and feelings.

Another voice whispered to her. It was_ her_ own voice inside her head. _Oh Anna, I want you so much_.

"No!"

_I need you..._

Her voice seethed with anger as she screamed at her inner self again. The blizzard conjured by her conflicting emotions buffeted the walls of the bathroom angrily. She slammed her fist against the tiles, frost and snow billowing from where she struck.

"I said stop it!"

_I love you..._

_"_DAMN IT!"

Ice and snow exploded above her, drenching her in her own storm. Exhausted, Elsa gave in, silently sobbing as she curled into herself. She didn't know how long she stayed that way, but when she finally got a hold of herself, the ice and snow around her had melted. Standing up, the Ice Queen walked up to the mirror and glared at her reflection.

Her azure eyes were bloodshot from intense crying and the darkened marks of dry tears were somewhat visible on her pale cheeks. Some tufts of platinum blonde hair stuck to her face, either from cold sweat or water. As she opened the spout to rinse her face, a solution for her problem presented itself in her head.

But it was not something she'd enjoy. As much as she hated it, she was going to have to protect Anna from herself once more. That old mantra her father had taught her, the one she thought she had abandoned, was reborn like a dark phoenix.

Reluctantly accepting her old ways, she sighed, "Conceal, don't feel..."

She was going to protect Anna. This time, not from her ice powers, but from her heart.


	3. Love Can't Be Denied

I do not, will not, and have ever owned Frozen. Even as much as I wanted to!

Chapter Three: Love Can't Be Denied

The sky was awash with hues of orange by the time Anna, Olaf, and Kristoff arrived to Arendelle Castle. The scores of guests that had visited earlier were now leaving the for dinner and to later retire for the night. So, they had to wait until the flood of people died down before they entered the castle.

After they pulled into the castle stables, all three of them slid off of Sven. The mountain man was busy getting some food for his reindeer when the redhead tapped his shoulder.

"I need you to watch Elsa's castle while I talk to her, okay?"

Easily hoisting a bale of hay over his broad shoulders, Kristoff simply looked at her with a somewhat confused look on his face. "And how exactly do you expect me to see that far?"

Olaf raised his hand, jumping into the air to get Anna's attention. "Ooo! Ooo! I'll watch the castle! I remember I could see it all the way from one of the towers using this tube thing I found!"

Of course, Elsa's old telescope! She remembered discovering the device a couple year ago in one of the highest towers of the castle. Anna had been fumbling around, roaming the empty halls when she discovered a secret staircase to the tower's attic. There in a small, cobweb-ridden room, was a bronze, bell-like tube that covered some old pieces of paper. Regardless of their age, the papers had contained precise drawings of a figure vaguely the now constructed ice castle.

Anna pulls the snowman into a warm hug and giggled, "Olaf you're a genius!" Placing him down, the redhead grabbed hold of his stick hand and while also yanking Kristoff along by his hand.

"H-hey!" the blond protested. For a girl of her frame and stature, the redhead was a powerhouse when she needs it.

"You two are going to watch the castle together, okay?" Kristoff grumbled reluctantly while Olaf happily squees in excitement.

After leaving - and secretly locking them in- the tower, Anna went off to find her sister. The first place she naturally checked was the throne room. After all, Elsa spent half of her time there now. Especially during the hours of dusk.

The door creaked as Anna meekly opened the door to her sister's throne room. "Elsa?" she called out. Her voice echoed, reverberating off the empty hall.

Anna called for her older sister again, but no response came. The smile on her face slowly melted like ice in the sun. Is her sister avoiding her again? And if so, what is causing it this time? She glanced at her braid, tracing the shafts of hair that were once platinum white. Is she scared of hurting her again?

Moving on, Anna fumbled with her braid absentmindedly as she searched for her sister. It took only a few rounded corners and a run down the main corridor of the castle before she ran into Elsa. Or rather, they ran into each other.

Both girls yelped as they fell to the ground together, Elsa pinning Anna to the ground. The elder girl suddenly panicked as she scrambled to get off of her. "Anna, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!" Anna stood up and dusted herself before looking at her sister.

Elsa was backing slightly as if she was confronted with a ravenous wolf. "Elsa, it's fine!" She smiled at her reassuringly before stepping closer to her sister to pull her into a tight embrace. "There! See? You won't hurt me!"

Elsa returned the gesture in a somewhat disinclined manner_. If only you knew, _she thought darkly. Anna smiled sweetly at her, and she felt her heart race in her chest faster. Remembering her mantra, the blonde stepped away from her far enough to give herself some space, but close enough to not reveal anything about her dark predicament.

"So are you feeling better now, sister? You can't hurt me anymore, right? I mean, you can control it now due to that act of true love thing we did!" Elsa pursed her lips vaguely at Anna's choice of words.

Years of concealing her powers aided her greatly now. She was going to have to lie to her sister, no matter how much she despised the thought of doing such a heinous act. _Conceal, don't feel._

"Anna, I'm not afraid of hurting you with my ice powers..."

The younger girl gently touched her cheek, sending a bolt of pleasure through the blonde. She could feel her neck getting goosebumps as Anna caressed her cheek. "So what are you afraid of then, Elsa?"

_I'm afraid of hurting you with my heart._

"I'm afraid of getting you involved in the recent political affairs we're having. You know, since they involve the Southern Isles?"

To Elsa's relief, her sister bought her ruse. "Oh? That's it? I thought we got rid of that creep Hans months ago!" Anna said as she threw her arms into the air in slight annoyance. The blonde nodded head in false agreement.

"Yeah we did. That's why the Crown Prince himself is coming over to personally apologize about what happened. And he's coming in the next few days if I remember correctly."

"Oh..." Anna trailed off into awkward silence. Convinced that Anna would leave her be, Elsa cleared her throat.

"So, uhh, I guess we'll see each other at dinner?"

"Kristoff and I are going out for dinner together though."

A sharp pang of jealousy struck the elder girl's heart. The walls she was putting around her heart to contain her taboo feelings were as fragile as thin ice. Sooner or later, she's going to have to change her plan of attack or suffer the inevitable consequences.

Anna gave her a tight hug and older girl returned it awkwardly, trying her best to keep herself from moaning from the sensation of their bosoms pressed together. "Alright, I guess I'll see you later tonight then."

As Anna turned away to walk off, a fraction of Elsa's inner desires hijacked her mind. Her eyes unconsciously wandered down to gaze lustily at the redhead's rear as she walked. Was it just her dark fantasies or was Anna actually swaying them almost flirtatiously?

_Get a hold of yourself._

Elsa averted her hungry eyes away from her sister's rear end. Covering her face with her palms, Elsa's plan of concealing and not feeling was rapidly falling apart. She was going to have to conceal, but attempting to hold in her feelings was going to be her downfall. Elsa was going to have to use a conduit to let it out. She peeked through her fingers, trying to find inspiration for her dilemma.

Her inspiration, her rescuer, came as a knight in shining armor.

Running up to one of the old suits of armor they had, Elsa was giddy with relief. She had took up swordsmanship a few weeks after the incident with Hans to pass the time and learn how to fight. Surprisingly, she had been a born natural with a blade, moving gracefully despite its danger. Even her trainer himself was surprised, comparing her techniques and skill with her father's. Sadly, she had to pause the sessions a few weeks ago with the flood of political events overwhelming her.

Holding out her hand, she conjures a sword of ice in her grip. She stared at her reflection on the frosted blade, smiling down upon it. With this, she could conceal her dark desire and yet allow it to be used for something useful!

"Kai!" she called out loud.

The servant acknowledged her, coming to her aid in a matter of seconds. "Yes milady?"

Elsa twirled the sword in her hands. "Find Lord Clemenson and tell him practice resumes tomorrow morning."

_Meanwhile_

"Olaf, are you even there?" Kristoff asked. The snowman had been so silent and still for the last ten minutes, Kristoff had forgotten he was alive.

"So pretty..." Olaf temporarily broke his muteness. He then resumed looking at the castle in awe.

"Let me see then!" The mountain man barely touched the telescope when the snowman shuffled away yet kept it on the target. The blond groaned and moved closer to try and get the telescope from him.

"Olaf, I want to see to!"

Just then, the door to the room slammed open, making both of them jump. Anna was standing there on the doorway, but even in the dim light, Kristoff could see her face was full of concern.

"Guys, let's go," the princess ordered.

Kristoff stood up. "Where are we going this time?"

Anna pursed her lips. "I think I know what's bugging Elsa..."

"That's great, but -"

She interrupted the blond before he could ask. "I just need to confirm with some experts just to be sure."

_An Hour Later, at the Valley of the Living Rock_

The blackness of night had overtaken the skies by the time Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, and Sven arrived to the hidden sanctuary. It was a tranquil place, especially when it was light by the light of the moon and stars.

They slid off the reindeer as they entered the center of the valley. As always, it was soothingly quiet. "Hello!" the princess called out to the rocks. Immediately the still rocks came to life.

"Anna!" they called out in unison. They rushed to her, and the redhead did her best to give them all a hug.

The troll Anna knew as Bulda held her hand as she led her along the crowd of stone trolls. "How's it been sweetie?"

"My sister's castle is acting weird and she's also acting weird too and I think I know why but I not sure it's right or wrong so I came here because you're experts the love experts!" Anna finished, out of breath.

"Elsa's in love?" Kristoff and Olaf said. The two looked at each other, mouths agape.

Bulda smiled at her, a soft twinkle in her eyes. "Well what makes you think that?"

Anna described the way her sister acted "rushed" this morning, skipping breakfast. She also told them about the look in Elsa's face when she mentioned Kristoff's name when she met her in the main hall There was something in her eyes when she had said his name, a strange emotion she can only describe as envy.

The troll-woman pursed her rock lips. "Is there more? What of the castle?"

Kristoff gave witness to the trolls this time. "The castle's normally blue, but during the last few days it kept changing colors. It was -"

"Oh it was like a rainbow!" Olaf bursts, interrupting the mountaineer. He talked lie he was a small child describing a painting. "Well, it kept to four or so colors but it was usually light pink and deep green, sometimes dark red, and I think it was bright orange a few times as well!"

The trolls kept silent for a few moments before they all huddled together, conversing in a strange language. "What are they saying?" Anna whispered to Kristoff, who had might be the only human in the whole world to understand trollspeak.

"They're saying -"

Kristoff fell silent when the king of the trolls, Pabbie, walked over to Anna. "From what you've given us, Elsa is no doubt in love." His face suddenly turned serious. "But her love is tearing her apart with jealousy and anger. Whoever she's in love with has gotten the full attention of her heart... But she does not like it."

The redhead looked at him, confused. "What?"

"She's denying her love. And it's hurting her because of it."

"Then who's she in love with then?" Pabbie's eyes seemingly darkened, as if he couldn't bear the news. The same voice that told Anna that Elsa was lying to her about what she was afraid of was now telling her that he's hiding something.

"That's something you need to find out on your own..."


	4. Can't Control The Curse

What if I told you... That I don't own Frozen?

Chapter Four: Can't Control The Curse

**A/N: **The icest is getting stronger with this one! Thank you for all the faves, follows and reviews my fellow snowflakes!

_The Next Morning_

The morning rays of the sun softly fell upon the kingdom of Arendelle as it rose over the horizon. The kingdom itself was still groggy, most of its inhabitants opting to stay a little longer in bed to enjoy the weekend's rest. However, not all of its inhabitants were still staying in bed.

"Alright, raise your sword."

Elsa raised her icy blade, the ice that made up its entirety catching the light of the sun. It's been a few weeks since she held it aloft, but the blonde still wielded her blade like a natural. "Hello, Frostbite," Elsa greeted jokingly, referring to the nickname Kai had given the blade.

Lord Johan Clemenson, the General of the Royal Army of Arendelle and her personal trainer, nodded in approval. "Swing it around a few times and get used to the feeling of the blade. You can't expect to win a fight without knowing the fundamentals."

The blonde did as she was told, slashing the air in front of her thrice. Similar to its steel counterpart, her ice sword can cut swiftly and is just as dangerous, but it is surprisingly durable as well. Testing the waters, she got into the fighting stance that her trainer had taught her.

She smiled at herself, proud "You seem confident," the general said with a light smirk.

"No baby steps this time please. I want to spar already!" Elsa had always complained how to him about going over the fundamentals every time they had a lesson. It, in her mind, wastes the limited and precious training time they had.

"Hm, fine." The general unsheathed his sabre before pointing the dull tip at her, as if he was challenging her to a duel. "But only for today."

Smirking, Elsa rushed her trainer, initiating the sparring session. Frost and fire-forged steel collided with a sharp, resounding clang. Both of the combatants recoiled from their clash, before backing off to give each other space. Elsa circled him guardedly, forming a plan of attack.

Elsa playfully taunted him, "You're getting rusty."

"Oh really, my Queen? We're just getting started!"

In a blink of an eye, steel and ice struck each other again. The recoil of the blow took Elsa back a little, but she pressed the offensive relentlessly. She struck with a vertical slash, followed by two diagonal cuts. Despite the ferocity and speed of her attacks, Lord Clemenson skillfully blocked her frost sword's blows before launching his own combo.

Elsa grunted as she checked his sword with her own. Despite the danger of their activity, Elsa was grateful they were doing this. Her incestuous love for Anna was no doubt growing stronger and hungrier by the passing second, but swordplay seemed to hinder its growth. She backed up every blow and every block with the power of the dark desire in her, thinking that in doing so, she was exhausting it. Little did she know how wrong she was.

"Your father will be proud to see you like this, my Queen. I doubt he never expected his daughter to be so skilled!" Clemenson complemented. He backed up after a final slash that she had deflected. However, Elsa gave him no chance of retreat and she pushed the offensive again.

Time seemed to fly as they continued sparring enthusiastically, occasionally taking short breathers before resuming combat. Their swords swung and stabbed only to be blocked by the other or dodged completely. To Elsa, it seemed that the problems that plagued her were all usurped by swordplay.

The general slashed the ground horizontally once, calling for a ceasefire. Elsa lowered her blade, sweat glistening on her pale skin. "Alright, what's next?" the Queen asked, stabbing the snow-covered earth with her blade. The cold ground made a satisfying soft crunch sound.

Before the general could answer, someone cleared their throat behind them. For a moment, Elsa thought Anna had caught them. To her relief, the interloper happened to be the portly servant, Kai. His face was serious, nervous almost. "Milady? The Crown Prince will arrive at any time today."

Elsa pursed her lips, holding back a curse. She thought the Crown Prince would arrive tomorrow! But alas, she has to reluctantly accept the change in plans. Sighing, Elsa willed Frostbite to degrade into wet snow. She wiped the sweat off her brow as she followed Kai back inside the castle.

In turns out that Kai was nervous about how they were going to receive the Prince. They two discussed about preparing food and even a small welcoming party for the Prince as they walked down the halls. However, Elsa wasn't really paying attention to Kai as he elaborated on the planned events. Her mind and heart were focused solely on her sister, yet they were fighting a raging war of right and wrong. And her mind was losing.

_Where's Anna? I wonder what's she wearing today? _

_Stop it, _her mind said sternly.

Elsa's heart refused to be silenced. _Anna's so beautiful. I want to ki-_

_No! _

_I want to kiss her and show her how much I really love her. _

"My Queen?"

Kai's voice shook Elsa out of her trance, and a faint blush soon colored the blonde's cheeks. Her mind acted on impulse, agreeing with Kai regardless of the fact she didn't hear him over the voices of her own heart and mind. "Yes," she answered generically.

"So it's settled then. When the Prince arrives, there will be a small welcoming party at night then." Kai bowed to her before leaving her, probably to relay her ''order'' to the castle servants.

Alone, Elsa was about to secretly turn back to resume her training in private, but a voice nearby caught her attention. "I don't know Joan, I still don't know who she likes."

_Anna. _The blonde's heart overruled her judgment, and she stealthy followed her sister's voice to eavesdrop on her. Elsa quickly deduced that Anna was talking to a woman, but when she poked her head into the room she heard Anna's voice, she saw no one.

"Hmm, maybe whoever she likes is coming soon!" Anna gasped excitedly. She definitely was in the painting gallery but Elsa can't find her. Taking a risk, Elsa gently creeped in to spy on the redhead. The blonde hid behind some curtains to conceal herself, occasionally poking her head out to try and find Anna.

"So maybe it's the Crown Prince she likes? Wait, no, scratch that. She would be acting like this much earlier."

Elsa caught the sight of Anna's legs kicking up in the air out of frustration. Her sister

was lying upside-down on her favourite couch, legs resting on the back of it and her head dangling off the cushions. She was looking up at a painting of Joan of Arc, and was apparently talking to her as if she was alive as well.

Anna gasped in excitement, apparently finding her solution. "Oh I think I got it! Whoever she likes will be coming at the Solstice Ball next week!"

The elder girl clenched her fists as she bit back another curse, almost giving away her position. _I'm such a fool._ The ball Elsa had planned had been buried deep underneath worries about politics and her more recently, her love issues. There's no way she can cancel it now since the guests are either preparing for the ball or have already left to go to it.

She was about to make a hasty retreat when she heard Anna groan in frustration again.

"You're right Joan, she would be excited even earlier then. So if she's denying herself, then who can she love?" She paused briefly softly gasping. "Kristoff said the trolls mentioned that her love might be outside of nature's laws. Then... Could she be in love with a _girl?_"

The room fell silent. Elsa held her breath in response, anxious to hear what her sister will say this time.

Her sister spoke up softly, her voice a mere whisper in the wind. "Is Elsa... Is Elsa in love with a _girl_?"

Dreadful silence fell upon the room again. Elsa's heart skipped a few beats before beating in her rib cage like a mad animal. _She's getting closer to finding out. What will she think of me? _She listened in further, the thumping of her heart audible in her chest.

Anna broke the unnerving stillness. "If she does Joan, then I won't think different of her. I mean, why should I hate her for that? I think she has the right to love anyone she wants!"

Words cannot describe how relieved and how nervous Elsa was. Her younger sister supports her now, yes, but does she really know that the girl Elsa loves was her? Multiple scenarios played out in Elsa's mind, some bad, some good.

_I just want to tell you how much I really loved you, _Elsa thought in her head. Her eyes felt watery as the taboo fantasy of having Anna as her lover slowly overwhelmed her mind again. Her lips quivered as her fragile psyche threatened to crumble once more.

"Thank you for the all the help, my mute friend._ Au revoir_ Joan," Anna said. She heard the couch creak, and she knew Anna was going to leave soon. Concealing herself behind the curtain, Elsa waited for her sister's footsteps to leave.

When she deemed her sister far enough and out of earshot, she lets it go. Elsa burst into tears, sobbing softly against the window. Her curse, the incestuous desire for Anna, had almost fully taken her over. And it's only a matter of time before Anna finds out...

_Meanwhile, out in the North Sea_

Two monstrous galleons lazily sailed in light of the early afternoon, the cool wind pushing on their course. Treasure chests and other luxuries filled the bulk of one of the ships, filled with enough goods to rival the treasure ships of the Spaniards. The other that sailed beside it had its cannons hidden, but it was ready to deliver a punishing cannonade at any moment's notice.

Their destination: the kingdom of Arendelle.

Crown Prince Ulfric of stood at the railing of his ship, gazing at the frigid, unforgiving waters below. His hot breath blew rolling clouds of water vapor into the sky, giving him the likeness of a dragon.

"How much further Arnbjorn?" he asked a young, blonde-haired man standing at his side.

Arnbjorn took out a compass and map and placed them against the deck. Ulfric kneeled uncomfortably as he inspected the map. "My lord, the port of Arendelle should come to sight in a few hours if I'm correct."

He scratched his large beard. "Good..." He smiled at him. "I cannot _wait_ to meet the Queen."

The housecarl cleared his throat, "Sir, I'm sure any guests arriving for the ball will intercept our flotilla ri -"

"The flotilla will be waiting for my order," Ulfric said sternly as he cuts off his housecarl, "And don't worry, the ball will still ensue..." He left their little conversation at that.

Feeling confident, the Crown Prince cracked his oversized knuckles, as if he was warning the world of his arrival, before stomping off to his personal quarters.


	5. Love Is More Than Just An Open Door

How many times do I have to tell you that I don't own Frozen?!

Chapter Five: Love Is More Than Just An Open Door

**A/N: **Here it is my little snowflakes! The icest has arrived!

And before anyone asks, yes, they will frick frack. But it's not going to be in this chapter.

Hiding out alone in the castle gardens wasn't really at the top of Elsa's best plans list, but it was way better than immediately confessing to her sister that she loved her in a way more than just a sister. She knew it was inevitable however, no matter how much she denied it. One way or another, Anna was going to find out.

Elsa gazed at the heavens, torn between either blaming the Almighty for her curse or asking for divine intervention._ Thanks for making go through this hell, _she thought sarcastically.

"Elsa?"

Anna's voice nearly sent her into a panic. A medley of emotions ran through her and she immediately felt lightheaded. Anna was standing under the archway that lead to the garden, and Elsa caught her breath at the sight. Even if her sister had a preference of wearing more simpler gowns than her, she couldn't help but be stunned by her beauty.

Elsa's heart leapt into her throat and sudden sensation in her stomach made her feel like there were butterflies filling it. Her mind blanked out.

Anna a straight face to each other as she strode up to her older sister. "Elsa, can I talk to you about something?" Anna asked softly. She suddenly drops the mask and began staring at her intently, waiting for an answer.

Against her wishes, the blonde felt her face flush deep red. "I -" Elsa glanced away from her sister's penetrating gaze.

It was at that moment that she noticed the flag. The flag of the Southern Isles was flying high in the dark orange sky. "The Prince is here!"

Pulling her ice gown up to not trip over it Elsa ran out the garden, and Anna reluctantly followed suit. As they ran down the corridors to reach the main chamber, Anna tried to talk with her sister on the go, "Elsa! Can we please, please, please talk about something important?!"

"This _is_ important!"

"But mine's more important-er!" Anna said, a bit breathless as she tried to keep up with her elder sister. She had to ask her! Her question had been gnawing away at her for the last few hours!

Elsa suddenly stops, and Anna forcefully kissed her sister's back at full speed as she slammed right into her. The blonde fell forward but a pair of hands caught her. "Ah, Queen Elsa, we finally meet."

The Crown Prince was built more like a bear than a man. Standing a full seven feet tall, the man could be mistaken for a viking. He sported a thick, dark auburn beard and long mane of hair. Thick, chiseled muscles were threatening to burst out of his leather tunic and pants, and Elsa swore her head can fit in the man's hands. There was an uncanny resemblance between Ulfric and Hans, except the former was just older, hairier, and more manlier than the latter.

"I am Crown Prince Ulfric the Crimson of the Southern Isles." He bowed to her, but Elsa couldn't help but think that he was struggling to not fall over.

"Owww..." Anna groaned as she rubbed her bruised lips. Her eyes widen when she sees the bear of a man in front them. "Whoa! Big bear-Viking!"

He laughed heartily at her and struck a warrior's pose for them. "Yes, my family comes from a long, successful line of powerful Viking jarls. Thank you for noticing, Princess Anna."

Walking up to her, Ulfric took Anna's hand in his giant hands and tenderly kissed it. "I apologize for my little brother's heinous actions." He lets her hand go, leaving the redhead speechless.

Before he could kiss her hand, Elsa crossed her arms behind her back. "Yes, I know we have important matters to discuss -" She remembered about the dinner and welcoming party that was supposed to be thrown.

"Important matters to discuss, and?"

The blonde cracked a forced smile on her lips. "We shall discuss these matters over the course of the next few days. But first, I reckon you must be famished after your trip to _my_ kingdom."

"Why of course. And I've always wanted to try some of Arendelle's legendary cuisine!"

Dinner was already on the table as the royals entered the dining hall. Ulfric and the few advisors he brought with him sat right at the center of the table while Esa sat opposite of him. Her sister took the seat next to her, and Elsa immediately felt nervous.

A couple of servants followed them in and began cutting the meat for them before placing them on their plates. They then proceeded to pour amontillado into some glasses for them before they distributed the liquor.

Ulfric raised his glass, initiating a toast. "To good relations and eternal peace between our kingdoms!"

The Queen quickly raised her glass to connect with the Crown Prince's, moving to toast with his advisors before facing Anna. Anna copied her sister's movement, tapping her own glass with that of Prince Ulfric's. Satisfied, they all downed a sip in unison before beginning on their meal.

Elsa was busy cutting her piece of smoked salmon, pretending she couldn't feel Anna's eyes boring into her. "Pssst, Elsa?" the redhead whispered softly.

"What is it now?" Elsa hissed.

Anna leaned close, uncomfortably so, to whisper quietly in her ear, "I want to talk to you in private after dinner please... It's important."

Most of Elsa's appetite disappeared into thin air, her skin paling even further. She pursed her lips, scowling slightly at her food. "F-fine..."

_God help me_.

Dinner seemed to have taken an eternity for the Queen, who was stressing over what to say to Anna. The redhead on the other hand, had multiple incidents of almost choking on her food whenever the Crown Prince told her an exciting tale. He was a very charismatic man, reciting riveting tales of his ancestor's glorious achievements or his escapades growing up in the Southern Isles, all the while leaving no mention of Hans at all. The liquor helped lighten the mood, since the two bottles of amontillado they had served were all finished long before the time dinner was done.

After dinner, the Crown Prince and his advisors retired to the guest chambers, leaving Elsa with the handling the heavily drunken Anna. Elsa had an arm around her, trying to lead the tipsy redhead through the halls. For the moment, it appeared that her sister was caught up with the Prince's tales and the liquor instead of asking Elsa her question.

"Ulfric's a grrrrrape man," Anna slurred, holding on to her sister as she was pulled along.

Elsa giggled, the amontillado finally catching up to her. "A 'grape' man?" she asked inquisitively.

"Yeah he's a grrape man! Ohh I wanna see 'im wrestle bears like his," Anna burped before continuing, "Grandpa did!"

"I doubt his grandather ever wrestled bears," the blonde assured. The drunken redhead then resumed rambling about Ulfric's so-called adventures and how good the amontillado was.

After a few minutes of suffering under her sister's endless drunken rambling, the two finally arrive at Anna's chambers. She pushed the door open and tugged Anna in gently before closing it behind them. Leading her sister to her bed, Elsa gently helped the poor girl into bed. She was about to leave her be when she suddenly felt the redhead tug her to her.

"A-Anna!"

Anna giggled and idly rested her head on Elsa's shoulder, her hand lowering to the blonde's hip and pulling her close. A furious blush burned in Elsa's cheeks as her sister held her tightly. It felt good to be so close to her,

"Whadid I say I was gunna tell ye?" Anna slurred, her breath heavy with the scent of alcohol. She fell back against the bed, heavily impaired by the amount of wine she consumed.

_This is it. _

She heard her sister gasp in excitement as she remembered what she was going to ask to her. "I remembur now! A-Are you in love with a woman?"

_Let it go_. "Y-yes..."

What Anna did next took the blonde by surprise. Anna took her face and forced her to face her. There was a euphoric smile gracing her lips, and she could tell her pupils were dilated. "D'cha wanna practice kissin' with one then?" she asked, a little flirtatious swagger in her voice.

"Anna, I -"

The redhead inexplicably cuts her off, driving her lips into Elsa's. Her mind drew a blank, but Elsa hungrily returned the kiss. It was a messy yet simple kiss, but it was fueled by sheer drunkenness on Anna's side. But god, did it feel so good to actually experience it instead of fantasizing about it.

Flinging arm around her, Anna awkwardly shifted Elsa below her so she was lying on top of her. She pinned the older girl with her body, but Elsa didn't mind at all. They parted only to take in needed air, both of them quivering and their eyes fluttering softly.

The little voice in the redhead's mind was shrieking at how incredibly wrong this was, but her sense of morality has long left her psyche. Besides, she couldn't get enough of how incredibly good this was. Her lips part softly and Elsa took advantage of the moment. Anna's eyes widen, then fluttering shut as Elsa's cool tongue invades her mouth.

Anna lets out a soft moan. A very delicious, tender moan that drove Elsa's lust wild.

Growling softly, the blonde rested her hands against Anna's hips and twisted them so she was above her. A tiny whimper slips past Anna's lips, but Elsa mercilessly silenced her with her mouth. _That perfect girl is gone_, Elsa thought as she pressed her body against her sister. They kissed passionately, their tongues tangoing together as if they were meant for each other.

_I want you so much_. Elsa pulled out of the kiss, a narrow string of saliva connecting their lips. Nothing else mattered to the blonde right now. Ulfric and his goddamn political affairs can go to hell for all she cares. The only thing that mattered to her was her sister.

She lets her hands roam over Anna's sides while, leaning in to kiss her neck tenderly.

Elsa waited, listening for more delicious moans of pleasure. The only sound she received however, was a faint snore.

"Anna?"

Her sister had fallen asleep, the alcohol had finally caught her. A little voice in Elsa wanted her to continue, to wake her up so they can get back to kissing and maybe even more. Undeterred by her strong, ravenous lust for Anna, Elsa's conscience resurged and spoke sternly to her.

_Don't take advantage of her, Elsa, she's drunk. You'll end up like Hans if you do this to her right now. _

Yielding to morality this time, Elsa grudgingly slid off the snoring redhead and trudged back to her own chambers.


	6. Once You Let Your Heart Awaken

Frozen, own it, I do not.

**A/N:** Here's where the story is going to pick up! Thank you for sticking with it :) I'll reward you guys next chapter for it!

_**Chapter Six: Once You Let Your Heart Awaken**_

A skull-splitting headache was the first out of the many symptoms Anna suffered under as she recovered from last night's events. Not only was her head throbbing, the world felt as if it was spinning, her throat was dry as a desert, and her stomach seemed to have been repeatedly beaten with a branch.

She threw her arm over her eyes to block the sun's harsh rays. "Ohhh, what happened last night?" she whimpered helplessly. It had all been a blur to her, as if a haze had covered her eyes during those times.

Disorientation battered the redhead as she sat up, and she immediately grabbed her head from the pain. "Oooooowwwwww..."

Lying back down on her bed, the princess decided that another few hours of rest might help her recover, and so she closed her eyes. Rest avoided her like a ghost, forcing her to suffer the hangover's wrath. She hesitantly opted to bear her agony, and awkwardly got out of bed.

"What..." she muttered as she stumbled to her mirror, "What did I do last night?"

She stood in front of the glass, sluggishly attempting to recollect her memories. And then, like a bolt out of the blue, the memory of hungrily kissing Elsa struck her mind. _Oh God, did that actually happen_? A part of her brain was desperately trying to assure her that it was all a dream, that it was silly of her to even think of kissing her sister so passionately.

But she knew better. All of that did happen.

For the first time in forever, Anna swore. "_Fuck_."

It was short, simple, and sweet but that single curse completely describes her situation. Her mind was yelling at her, flogging her with the threats of hellfire and brimstone. But her heart says different. Something was awakened, a small kindle that was getting stronger the more she thought about Elsa. A battlefield soon tore her mind and heart apart as love and morality warred over her.

_What you did was wrong. Sisters aren't supposed to do that stuff! _

_But it felt so good though! And different... Very different. _

_What will the people say? What will your parents say? You still love, Kristoff, right?_

_Kristoff_. What was she going to say to him? The two had been together for a few months now. Truly she loved him, right? But after what happened last night with Elsa, she wasn't so sure anymore. Something special had connected between the two with just one kiss. The poor man will be devastated to learn that she was considering her _sister _over him.

Cradling her head, Anna slumped against the mirror. A war was raging in her between her morals and her love for Kristoff, and her ever-growing love for Elsa. It was a stalemate for now, but that delicate balance was degrading. Fast.

Her door creaked open, and a cool breeze followed. Her bloodshot eyes shot open. _Elsa_.

"Elsa, wait!"

"But I'm not Elsa!"

Recognizing the voice, the redhead groggily stood up and looked at the snowman. He gazed at her in concern, no doubt confused by her appearance. "Oh, hello Olaf."

Olaf slowly waddled towards her, his snow feet crunching softly. "Have you been crying Anna? Come here, I'll give you a warm hug! They always make me feel better when I'm sad!"

She nodded and leaned down to embrace the little snowman, shivering a bit as they made contact. "Thank you Olaf..."

"No problem! I'm happy when you're happy..."

They continued their hug for a few minutes before Anna pulled away. "Hey Olaf, can I tell you something important?" The snowman nodded in approval.

Olaf and the painting of Joan of Arc are the only two things the princess can spill her problems to whenever she needs it. Of course, one of them is mute and the other can respond back with words of advice.

Deciding it's for the best, the redhead confessed her problem to him.

"Elsa kissed, as in _kiss_-kissed, me last night while I was drunk and I ended up kissing her back. I liked it way more than I should have and I know it's wrong but I want more!" Anna sputtered and broke into tears.

The snowman stayed silent, patting the redhead's back as she sobbed. Although, his innocent, child-like mind prevents him from really comprehending the severity and wrongness of her situation.

"I thought you loved Kristoff?"

Anna kept silent for a few moments. "I-I don't know anymore... I mean, my brain's saying so, b-but my heart..."

The snowman gave her an assuring smile. "Well, who do you really love then?"

"I told you, I don't know..."

Olaf thought hard for a few seconds before a light sparked in his head. "Then we can go to the love experts then!"

The princess pursed her lips, doubtful of his suggestion. But then again, it's better than openly confronting either Elsa or Kristoff. "If you say so..."

Elsa rapped her fingers against her throne's armrests, trying to pay attention to Ulfric's voice. The Crown Prince had suggested they begin talks immediately in the morning, but he somehow managed to oversleep and waste nearly three hours of her precious time. And another thirty minutes were spent by Ulfric apologizing for his tardiness. Still however, it was better than embarrassing herself in front of Anna as she tried to clarify what had occurred last night.

She quickly glanced at the clock. It was roughly two thirty in the afternoon.

"... reparations will be paid for first in lumpsum, then in smaller installments over the course of the next few months. These payments will be delivered by the Southern Isles' world famous merchant fleet, which by the way has the capability rivaling both the British and Spanish merchant marine due to our history..." Elsa tuned out. The amount of occurrences the Crown Prince goes into a tangent about his country's cherished history can be turned into a drinking game.

Her mind wandered off, settling into the one person she can think about: Anna.

Elsa's stomach dropped as she recounted last night's events. She had let loose a part of her desire last night, but there was no doubt more than just kissing would have been done had Anna not fallen asleep on her. But oh, was she so close. The ravenous lust driving her told her that this was her chance, to make Anna hers and only hers right then and there. Whatever remained of her morality however, prevented the blonde from exploiting that moment.

_God_, she hungered for more. The way Anna kissed her back passionately and moaned so tenderly was a drug to Elsa. It was as if the redhead was attempting to make up for _years_ of lost time with her. Just musing about was driving her mad with lust, to feel her sister -

"Queen Elsa?"

Ulfric's voice tore her out of her musings. _Dammit._ She had been so out of touch, she effortlessly missed the Crown Prince's circular rambling about his damn country's history. Not like she cared for it.

The bearded man was smiling at her intently. "Well? What do you say?"

She thought for a moment, carefully choosing her words. "Hmm, I say... Very well."

Ulfric laughed heartily, a joyous, rich sound. "Excellent!" He stood up from his chair. "The lumpsum payment already awaits at the docks. I'm pretty sure you'll be surprised by the physical sight of our offerings." He motioned for her to follow him.

Elsa almost groaned in frustration, already sick of her daily dose of politics. _Today's going to be a long day._

The two galleons that the Crown Prince brought with him positively _dwarfed_ all the other ships that were moored in Arendelle's busy port. How Ulfric managed to even get them in without sinking one her vessels surprised her. The two ships were floating side-by-side, but the one that was currently docked had hundreds of sailors bustling about the ship as they got into formation for the Prince. They silently awaited the Prince's orders.

Ulfric winked at the blonde before focusing at his crew. "Alright men, unload the cargo!"

The sailors obediently did as they were told, and within a few minutes, a line of crew members began funneling out of the ship, lugging giant treasure chests. Elsa's eyes widen as she stared at the chests.

"Each one of those chests contain enough gold and silver to feed a family for a decade!" Ulfric boasted happily. Elsa doesn't want to admit it but she was rather thankful about Ulfric. When she had brought winter over to summer, she almost ruined Arendelle's economy due to damages. But now, the money Ulfric had brought could pay for damage expenses ten-times over.

Commoners started to flock to the docks, interested by the activity going on. Elsa could see their faces fill with shock, then joy as the sailors brought the chests to each and everyone of the people. No doubt there would be plenty of celebrations tonight and even the next few months.

Anna's face suddenly flashed in her mind's eye. Not once she had seen her sister ever since last night. _Where could she be_?

The skies above were turning dark by the time Princess Anna and Olaf arrived in the Valley of the Living Rock. A light dusting of snow covered the still rocks, which the princess knew were actually trolls. There was no sign of Kristoff or Sven, so Anna thought they were probably hunting or ice harvesting.

Anna greeted the rocks, "Hello?" After a few seconds, they started rumbling and rolling as they came to life. Snow shifted and ice cracked as the rocks tumbled over to surround them.

The "stones" revealed their true nature as the ancient creatures happily wove and greeted the princess and her companion. "Welcome Anna!" they all greeted as one.

The trolls were at first excited to see her, but when they saw her serious expression, they knew why she had come. A heavy stillness blanketed the air, generating an awkward moment for both parties until Pabbie the arrived. The old shaman and king waddled up to Anna and Olaf, knowing full well why they're here.

"So... I reckon you found out who your sister loves so passionately?"

Anna felt her stomach crawl up to her throat. "Y-yes... The one she loves," she swallowed her nervousness. "Is me..."

She half-expected them to recoil in revulsion, but the trolls only kept silent. The looks on their eyes told her only they pitied both her sister's and now her own predicament. "Elsa does love you as more than just a sister," Pabbie confirmed, "And there's nothing we can do to stop it."

"W-why? Doesn't she know it's wrong?" Anna's eyes were turning watery. She felt like Fate was playing some sort of twisted game with her, reveling in her pain to fill its sadistic desires.

"The heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded." Pabbie's words sounded eerily familiar, but Anna didn't point it out.

Taking her silence as confusion, the shaman king elaborated on his cryptic words. "Elsa's heart has made her choice, and so did her mind. But you Anna, while your head is still persuadable, your heart has already made its wishes clear, even if you deny it." His face turned gravely serious, like he knew her fate and he didn't like it. "Be warned, disappointment awaits you if you make the wrong choice."

As if Fate was listening, Kristoff and Sven emerged from some nearby bushes. The mountain man had a large catch of salmon over his shoulder. "Hey guys! Hello Anna! Hi Olaf!"

Anna's heart raced, out of anxiousness however, not love. She watched as Kristoff sets his catch down on top of some bags, and approached her. "So what brings you here to my family's home?"

The trolls stayed silent, leaving Anna with her burden. "Kristoff... I-I know who Elsa loves..."

Kristoff grinned happily. "That's great! Who is the lucky girl then?"

Time seemed to slow down as Anna gathered the courage to say it. Her heart spoke to her, expressing how she really felt about Elsa. _It's true love._

Anna inhaled deeply before she told him, "Elsa's in love with me."

Kristoff just stared at her emptily, and he appeared to be not breathing. Tension filled the air, its consistency like thick honey. "Y-y-you're kidding, right?" he muttered after a few minutes of tense silence.

To break the news to him almost tore Anna in two. "No... We kissed last night and something just," she choked on the word before finally spitting it out, "- connected. Look, I'm so sorry Kristoff, but I don't know what happened. I'm just - uhhh! It's so hard for me!"

The ice harvester stopped breathing as he digested the information. He started trembling in fear. Glaring daggers at her, he clenched his fists. "So you're just going to leave me?!"

"Wha- I didn't say -"

"After all those months we spent? Are they all for nothing now?!" He advanced at her, and Anna backed off, terrified by his rare display of anger. "And now you're just going to leave me for your _sister?" _

He was almost upon her, and she can see tears streaming down his cheeks. Anna regretted confessing to him so bluntly. "Kristoff, don't be so -"

His lips came crashing down upon hers, silencing her protests. It wasn't a forceful kiss, but the way the blond kissed her was as if he was trying to convince her to stay with him. No love didn't spark between this kiss this time, no matter how much her mind was trying to convince her that there was. Anna didn't return it.

It took a few moments for Kristoff to get the message. Pulling out, the ice harvester's heart was tearing itself in two. "Y-you don't love _me?" _His meek words were drenched with absolute heartbreak.

Anna turned away as tears run down her cheeks. These tears were not of sadness, but of relief. Pure, releasing relief. "I'm so sorry Kristoff..." she choked. The unmistakable sound of Kristoff falling on his knees sent a wave of guilt coursing through her.

Hail started to fall from the high heavens as the wind suddenly picked up. Something terrible was bothering Elsa. And Anna knew instantly that it involved her. She gave him one more heartfelt apology before going off with Olaf, "Forgive me Kristoff..."

The ice harvester extended his hand, as if to pull her back to him, but it was too late. Anna was already out of his reach. He could only watch as the princess ran away from him, going faster and faster until she went over a hill and out of sight. Heartbroken, Kristoff wailed in forlorn lament against the cold ground, his cries of anguish echoing through the Valley.

Elsa paced around in her throne room anxiously. The windows rattled violently as the storm picked up its rage, mimicking the internal storm inside the Queen. Anna had been gone for too long. A cacophony of unanswered questions battered Elsa, fueling her anxiety, and thus, the hailstorm outside. _Where is Anna? Is she mad at me? Or worse, is she disgusted at me? _

She extends her hand to her right, and a mighty storm of hailstones pelts the wall she had been using as target practice to alleviate her anxiety. Like all previous attempts, it only managed to temporarily soothe it for a few seconds. Snarling, the Ice Queen conjures a spike of ice and hurls it to the wall.

The ice spike embeds itself in the wall, but its life was short lived. Elsa clenched her fist and it explodes with the sound of breaking glass in a shower of dangerous shards. Judging herself sufficiently calmed, Elsa resumed her meticulous pacing.

At least there's no one to see her in such a low position. She had ordered the servants to not disturb her, and Ulfric and his advisors were off doing whatever. The doors groans open, and she whips around in blinded anger.

"I told you to not bother me!" She immediately regretted when she saw who she was talking to.

Anna recoiled from her sister's furious display of anger. Still shell-shocked from her recent breakup with Kristoff, she had been anxious to meet her sister to break the news and confront her about her feelings. The raging hailstorm weakened for now, but unease still had a tight grip on Elsa.

"Anna, I'm so sorry!" Elsa sputtered. The redhead slowly walked in, cautious of her sister. She could see something... strange in Elsa's eyes as she cautiously approached her.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried!" the elder girl cried as she pulled her into an embrace.

Anna tore up as she explained everything that she experienced in the last twenty- four hours. Her sister stayed silent, occasionally whispering words of encouragement to her whenever Anna broke down into sobs. She hated seeing her sister like this, but it was for the best.

By the time Anna had finished, the storm had died down but the remnant clouds still covered the night sky. Elsa kept quiet as she digested the deluge of information and emotions her sister gave her.

"So," Elsa finally spoke, "You had broken up with Kristoff after deciding to follow your heart?"

Anna nodded furiously. "It was horrible to see him like that," she choked, her voice tired from crying, "But it's for the best... I just hope he doesn't..." Her voice trailed off.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa looked Anna straight into her bloodshot eyes. "If you want to go back to him, it's fine." She had trouble saying the words. "But if he makes you happy, then so be it."

"But... I don't love him anymore," the redhead sniffled. "I... I..."

Closing her eyes, Elsa leaned in and gave her a light kiss. "I love you Anna..." The redhead perked up, rejuvenated by the electric touch of Elsa's lips. They kissed softly again. And again.

_Let it go._

Elsa pulled her into a deep kiss, driving Anna against the wall. The redhead whimpered under her, feeding Elsa's desire. A predatory smirk cracked on Elsa's lips as she leaned down to claim her sister's lips again.

Anna moaned something as they kissed. It took a second for Elsa to realize that she had moaned _her_ name.

She could feel Anna's heart beating in her chest, throbbing out of control as they explored each other's mouths hungrily. Their tongues intertwined and pushed against the other, but Elsa was quick to establish dominance in the kiss. A warm, delectable feeling pooled between both girls' legs.

Elsa only pulled back for much needed air before crashing down again upon her sister. Her sister groaned and wrapped her legs around Elsa's waist, reveling in how intimate the taboo kisses felt. _Oh God. _

The pitter-patter of footsteps nearby force the two to separate. Their faces were deeply flushed, sweat glistening on their skin. Both girls' hearts were throbbing wildly in their chests.

"Ma'am?" Kai asked as he poked his head around the corner. "It's time for dinner..."


	7. Carpe Diem

Seriously?! How many times do I have to say it? I freakin' don't own Frozen!

_WARNING_: Drum roll please! *drum roll* Here it is, my snowflakes! The frick frack! I hope you enjoy

If you don't like Elsanna, GTFO. I don't have time to deal with haters.

**A/N: **Alright, this chapter has multiple purposes: to alleviate the drama from the previous chapter, to show how Elsa and Anna did it (obviously), to give you guys a smutfic after not updating More Than Just Sisters yet, and to reward my precious snowflakes for sticking with the story. Hope you like it!

_**Chapter Seven: Carpe Diem**_

TheCrown Prince and his advisors were already at the dining hall by the time Elsa and Anna arrived, waiting patiently for the two girls. The table was decked with full koldbort, most probably for Ulfric and his men since they ate like, Elsa didn't want to say it, unhygienic barbarians. From the starved looks on their faces, the men were ready to ravage the meat at any moment's notice.

Ulfric tried to smiled warmly, welcoming the two women to the table. "Ah, Queen Elsa! It's good to see you! And Princess Anna! Beautiful as always!"

The Queen nods her head as she took a seat, Anna sitting right beside her. "Good evening gentlemen. I apologize for my sister and I being tardy," she gave a quick glance to her sister. They might have reconciled with their hearts, but Anna's recent break up with Kristoff was still raw. To her credit however, Anna managed to hide it well enough. "She'd been... exploring."

The Crown Prince scratched his giant beard, considering her words. "Curious girl, eh? Now she reminds me of my sixth sister, Adrianne. Oh she used to get lost in the royal palace, mead hall, and -"

Elsa cleared her throat. "Shall we begin dinner now?"

"Why of course!" He clapped his hands twice.

Two servants strode over and opened the bottles of liquor. They poured the all the royals a glass of their favorite alcohol, except for Anna, who kindly requested apple cider instead. Ulfric hoisted his large mug of homebrewed Arendelle mead high.

"A toast to eternal peace and prosperity!" His advisors raised their mead glasses with him, inviting the two women in for a toast.

Elsa clinked her glass of imported cognac with them and Anna followed suit with her own cider glass. "To eternal peace and prosperity!" the sisters both said.

With a content smile, the Crown Prince chugged his oversized tankard, the rest of them following suit with their own drinks. Their toast done, they each began to take select cuts from the buffet to eat.

Dinner proceeded at a stagnant pace to the two sisters, mainly due to the almost tangible sexual tension that was pent up between them, impatient to be released. It was agony to wait, but the two managed to somewhat openly flirt right under the noses of their company. They both stole elusive, quick glances in the other's direction, locking eyes only momentarily as a soft smirk decorated their faces, before resuming eating, only to do it again a few minutes later. They even so far as holding hands right under the table, Elsa's cool hand intertwined with Anna's warm one.

Anna absently twirled a petite slice of smoked ham with her fork, before getting bored with it. She leaned in very close to Elsa's ear. The elder girl's hand tightened her grip, but the blonde kept a straight face. "Psst, hey Elsa?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we..." Anna blushed gently as she whispered the words. "Can we continue what we were doing earlier? I-It felt very good..." Warm blood rushed to Elsa's cheeks, tickling them crimson.

Elsa spied their company to make sure they didn't hear her, but apparently they were too busy eating like Vikings to notice them. Deeming it safe, Elsa sultrily whispered in Anna's ear, "As you wish..." She couldn't help but giggle lightly at the younger girl's blushed face.

_God, she's beautiful. _Perhaps it was the years of isolation from each other that desensitized her from incest's abhorrent nature, or it was ordained by Fate that they become lovers; whatever the case, Elsa didn't care. As long as she has Anna and Anna loves her back, she doesn't have a care in the world.

Satisfied with the knowledge they would continue where they left off, Anna returned to her dinner. The rest of the time finishing dinner was quiet and uneventful, until Ulfric and his men - mainly Ulfric - had finally finished their full. The bear-Viking-man of course, then decided to recite even more of his never-ending tales to them.

"Okay, tonight, I'll tell you of the story of Tyr and Fenrir..."

Rolling her eyes, Elsa sighed an propped her head on her hand, facing Ulfric's general direction to feign interest. _Here we go again._ Her eyes unfocused as her mind wandered about, finding comfort in the thoughts of Anna. More specifically, _dirty _thoughtsabout Anna.

While Elsa was spacing out in her erotic fantasies, Anna was the one more willing to pay attention. "... And the wolf ripped his hand clean off and sent it down his gullet!" Anna gasped in horror, shocking Elsa out of her trance.

"Wai- huh?" the Queen groaned. Her groggy eyes refocused, and she saw Ulfric mimicking the scene he had recently described in his fable. She crossed her legs and nearly yelped in surprise that her panties were soaked.

"And that's how Uncle Tyr lost his right hand." Ulfric laughed heartily afterwards, and Elsa found herself laughing with him as well.

The Crown Prince stood off, almost tipping the table over with his now distended belly. "That's enough for one night," he said as he stretched, flexing the ripped muscles under his tunic. "Tomorrow night, I'll tell you how Tyr lost his _left_ hand!" He laughed at his own joke and left the dining hall.

With the Crown Prince and his entourage gone, the two girls could be left to their own accord. Anna tucked a tuft of stray red hair behind her ear. She gave Elsa an expectant smile. "So... Can we?" Her voice trailed off, but Elsa didn't need any more words to know what Anna craved.

A sly grin painted itself on her features. The alcohol in her system had made her slightly tipsy, not as much as it did to Anna, but enough to call a fraction of her inner passion to manifest itself. Not only that, her earlier fantasizing got her in the mood. Her heart coaxed her forward, whispering to her that the time was now. She had to seize the moment before it flees.

"Of course we can!" She was about to pull her into a deep kiss, but the creak of the servant's door ruined the moment. _Damn it. _

Taking hold of her sister's hand, Elsa stood up and began pulling her along, making headlong to her own chambers. "Where are we going?"

"My room!"

Elsa quickly looked around, making sure no one was around before she initiated her heart's plan. She jerked Anna inside her room and slammed the door behind them, freezing the knob solid. The room was dark and dim, but she could make out her sister's face through the shadows. There was that same unbridled need that she recognized in the mirror a few days ago.

Placing her hands on Anna's hips, she pulled the younger girl to her. Her cool body was a contradiction to Anna's own warm one, but it fueled her lust even further.

She leaned in close, ready to drive her tongue deep into Anna's mouth_. I can't wait to have her skin pressed against mine._

_Heed! _She faltered ever so slightly, considering the interloper's warning. She stopped her lips mere inches from Anna's.

"Elsa? What's the matter?"

Despite her acceptance of her feelings, a small voice warned Elsa that life-threatening danger awaited them if they go forward with this. It attempted to tell her of its visions, but suddenly she couldn't hear it's meek cries. It had been silenced! in truth, the voice had been drowned out by her lust, screaming at her madly to seize the day and consummate her love for Anna.

And she listened to it.

Digging her fingers into Anna's hips, Elsa pulled the girl into a deep, long kiss. Anna moaned softly at the contact, parting her lips to let Elsa's tongue into her mouth. She knew this is wrong, that sisters were not supposed to kiss like this. But that only made it feel even more intoxicating.

"Mmm... E-Elsa..." Anna mumbed between kisses. She held back a low groan as Elsa bit her lip.

The blonde pushed the redhead backwards, forcing Anna onto her bed. Having complete dominance over her sister drove Elsa _mad _with taboo desire. It fed her dark lust, infecting her body and soul. Their tongues twirled, molding together as they exchanged deep, wet kisses. A pair of legs wrapped around her waist, pulling her against her sister tighter.

Anna's skirt slowly slid down, exposing her legs. Elsa's hands moved to to feel her smooth thighs, running all over skin, peppering her with cold touches. She could feel Anna's breathing hasten with every caress. The princess felt herself flush and her core become slick with arousal.

"Oh God," Anna gasped lightly as she wrenched her lips away from Elsa's to take much-needed air. Elsa ramped up her teasing touches, reveling in her sister's soft moans.

Her arousal flared and she started kissing Anna along her jaw, her teeth scraping and nipping the skin. Anna's resulting gasp excited her even further, and so she moved further to bite the sensitive flesh of her neck. The redhead whimpered, writhing softly as Elsa touched and kissed her possessively. She felt feverish, almost intoxicated.

Anna instinctively lifted her back off the bed when she felt Elsa tug at her blouse. Taking it as a signal to proceed, the blonde peeled the pink blouse off of her in one, smooth motion. A satisfied smirk cracked on Elsa's lips as she inspected the fair, freckled skin she bared. Her eyes were taking it all hungrily, regardless of the dimness of the room.

The princess was thankful that the shadows hid the furious, vermillion blush that adorned her cheeks. Was her body appealing enough to Elsa? She rarely got comments from others, having been overshadowed by her older sister's beauty and elegance.

"So beautiful..." Elsa leaned forward, kissing the redhead again; the ferocity of the kiss pushing Anna to lay back on the bed once more.

She stayed at the redhead's lips for a drawn-out kiss, her cool hands roaming all around her sister's naked sides. Anna was shivering lightly, the cool aura of her sister was no doubt, electrifying.

Finally, Elsa freed herself from Anna's lips, and began to kiss her way down to her exposed chest.

Anna's eyes flutter shut as Elsa's lips wrap around her nipple, a breathy whimper escaping her lips as Elsa began to enjoy herself.

Her hands move to the back of the blonde's head. Each pass of her tongue over the hard nub sent a flare of pleasure down to her sopping pussy. Sweat started to drip down her flushed, quivering body as Elsa kissed her petite breasts.

Elsa could spend countless hours making love to Anna's breasts, but her own desires won't be fully satisfied. She wanted, no, _demanded _Anna belong to her and her alone. Slipping both her hands under the hem of Anna's skirt, she then slid the garment off of her, not even waiting for Anna's permission.

The princess gasped as cool air nipped her newly exposed flesh. She felt vulnerable, very vulnerable. She instinctively closed her legs but Elsa had none of it. Elsa spreads her legs wide forcefully. "Elsa..." The Queen smirked at her, grazing her folds with her cold fingers.

"God, you're so wet," Elsa whispered seductively. She brushed her folds tightly, enjoying the Anna squirmed under her. Not even her deepest and darkest fantasy of Anna compared to this.

This was reality.

She brushed the redhead's clit with her thumb. Her sister gasped lightly, and very deliciously. Positioning two fingers right outside her entrance, Elsa leaned down, just hovering over Anna.

Claiming her lips, Elsa drove her fingers into Anna. A sharp pain struck the smaller girl as she was deflowered. Sensing her discomfort, Elsa stilled her fingers, letting the redhead become adjusted to them. Soft whimpers and sobs filled the air, the pain coursing through Anna.

"E-Elsa," she whimpered, "It hurts..."

She kissed the girl on her head gently. "Shhhh... It will feel better."

The blonde began smoothly moving her fingers in her again. Anna whimpered, soft pangs of pain drumming in her pussy. However, the more Elsa continued... whatever she was doing, the better and better it felt. Soon, Anna was moaning in pleasure.

"Ohhhhh Elsa... K-keep going." Her back arched as her sister fulfilled her plea. "Don't stop!"

In a dark, sultry voice that belonged to the desire inside of her, Elsa whispered, "Who said I was going to?"

Increasing her pace, she shoved her fingers knuckle-deep into her before almost pulling out, then repeating the process over and over. Anna panted and writhed under her, her sweaty body trembling in utmost pleasure.

"Oh Elsa! Don't stop! Please don't stop!" Anna screamed. It was loud - loud enough to be heard in the hallway and adjacent chambers - but Elsa didn't care. The very sound of Anna screaming _her_ name and _begging _was beyond intoxicating. Disintegrate

"You're _mine_, Anna..."

A couple more hard thrusts sent Anna over the edge. The princess gripped her sister tightly and screamed her name as she was plunged into the throes of ecstasy. Stars exploded in her vision, filling her eyes with light. The glorious sight of Anna as she cums will forever be ingrained in Elsa's mind.

_So beautiful._

Elsa lets her sister, a now lover, ride out her orgasm. Minutes passed before Anna finally recovered from her high. Sweat dripping down her body, a euphoric smile decorates the redhead's lips.

"That was..." She was at lost for words.

Chuckling warmly, the Queen gave her a quick kiss before she rolled them over so Anna was on top of her. "It's my turn," she ordered.

The redhead was naïve at such things, so she tugged at her sister's nightgown. Elsa grinned and wove her hand, and the icy dress dissolved into thin air. Anna blushed as she took in the marvelous physique of the blonde. She was so pale that she almost glowed in the dim light.

"Well?" Elsa asked, lifting Anna's chin up with her finger so she can look her straight into her eyes, "Pleasure your Queen."

Anna leaned her head down, kissing the blonde's cool skin gently. She was new to this, so she tried to copy what her older sister had done earlier. Elsa's azure eyes fluttered softly each moment her sister's warm mouth left little wet, pink marks on her pale skin. A groan escapes her throat, vocalizing her pleasure. She groaned even louder when Anna gently started kissing her breasts.

_Oh fuck._

Her sister's warm tongue felt magnificent, caressing her hard nipple in ways she never could imagine. The warm arousal between her legs, which had been begging to be released as she finger-fucked Anna was now making its wishes loud and clear.

Taking Anna's head, she gently pulled her off her breast. "Lick me in between my legs Anna," she cooed.

"In between your legs?"

"Yes."

Without even waiting for response, the blonde maneuvered her head between her legs. Anna could smell the intense arousal her sister had, her wet folds glistening in the dim light. She smelled and looked... divine.

Leaning down, Anna dipped her tongue into her folds. Entranced by the taste, she extended her tongue into her.

Elsa groaned out loud as Anna's tongue stroked her, and she moaned into her soaked flesh contently. Even though this was her sister's first time, she was actually doing quite well for a beginner. Her warm, wet tongue probed her, stroking every centimetre of flesh possessively.

"Anna... Yes... Do that... Just like that."

Anna worked relentlessly, encouraged by her sister's moans. A pair of hands gripped her head tightly, holding her there. Not like she wanted to pull away of course. The princess just moaned quietly and continued lapping her juices up as if she was dying of thirst.

Heavily intoxicated with bliss and lust, the queen knew she wasn't going to last any longer. She grabbed a nearby pillow, digging her fingers deep into the cushion.

She shuts her eyes tight. "Oh Anna!"

A cloud of wet snow explodes right above them as the Queen was battered with pleasure. All that mattered to Queen Elsa was now gone, narrowed only to the girl between her legs. Her sister. Her lover.

Finally recovering from her bliss, Elsa opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was her snow-covered sister, naked and shivering. "E-E-Elsa! You're fre-e-ezing m-m-me!"

Blushing, the blonde immediately disintegrates the snow around them and on her. Then, taking a blanket, she wrapped the thick covering all over Anna. Her sister's shivering somewhat decreased as she curled up into a ball in her arms. Despite Elsa's cool aura, she found warm comfort in her sister's loving arms.

They stayed like that for a couple minutes. "You okay?" Elsa finally asked. Anna nodded her head.

"Yeah..." A sly smirk appeared on her lips. "Elsa?"

"Yeah?"

"When can we do it again?"


	8. Sors Salutis

Frozen belongs to Disney LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

_WARNING_: This is an Elsanna fic! Expect Frick Frack and stuff! Thou have been warned!

**A/N:** This chapter is long! Also, the chapter title means "Fate is against me" in Latin. I got it from a line in O Fortuna.

**Chapter Eight: **_**Sors Salutis**_

It had been four days since that faithful night. And ever since then, the two sisters spent every night entangled in each other, reveling in the sensations of the other's flushed and sweaty body for countless hours. In those intimate moments, nothing mattered to the two except each other. No politics. No ball. No nothing.

Anna gently slept against her sister's nude body, her red hair a raggedy mess. The blonde on the other hand, was reminiscing about last night's round of furious lovemaking. She remembered the way Anna moaned and screamed her name as she orgasmed. And way she arched her back when she pulled her hair. Elsa had been fucking her from behind, _dominating_ her in ways com-

Three quick knocks on her door rattled Elsa out of her musing. An angry, shrill voice yelled at her from the door. "Elsa my Queen! It's been two days since you last trained with me in swordfighting!"

Lord Clemenson's voice gave Anna a rude awakening. She lifted her head, one of her eyes still closed and the other unfocused. "Huh? Whas happenin'?" she groaned.

Elsa shook her head and gave her sister a quick kiss on her lips before turning her head to yell at the door. "Give us ten minutes!"

"I'm starting the clock now then!"

Rolling her eyes, the Queen slid out from underneath Anna, and conjured her training clothes on herself before fixing her hair into a ponytail. The redhead groaned and rolled over, tossing an arm over her eyes. "Five merr mins... Tired..."

She lifted the redhead off the bed, carrying her bridal-style. That certainly woke her sister up! The now alert look on her face puts a faint smile on Elsa's face. "What? You don't want to see me swing a sword?"

"Sword swinging?" She gave her a sleepy smile. "What? You're not tired from last -" she yawned, "-night?"

Despite the rather relentless pounding she had given her sister, Elsa still had enough energy left in her muscles to go train for a few hours. She grinned slyly at her sister as she lets her down. "No I'm not... In fact, I say we go for another round after training's done." She gave her a playful wink, and the redhead blushed substantially.

* * *

Crown Prince Ulfric paced meticulously over the dark, hardwood floors of the guest chamber. His housecarl and personal servant, Arnbjorn, wisely kept silent as his master brooded. Whatever was bugging the Prince most likely originated from the words that were written on the letter.

He was holding a crumpled piece of parchment in his giant hands. Ulfric paused and took a deep breath as he held the paper up. He could tell from how detailed the handwriting was, that his father had let a servant proofread and write his words for him.

_Ulfric,_

_I have sent you to that so-called Kingdom for a purpose. Now, you've gotten more than what that boy Hans ever received in a day, so I expect you to complete your Father's wishes when commanded. After all, this is for our Empire. _

_Now, I have read the schematics of your thesis. This plan of yours is shady at best, but I expect it to run better than any of your other sibling's plan ever will._

_Now don't mess it up. _

_Your Father,_

_Emperor Wulfgaard the White of the Southern Isles _

A deep smirk appeared on his bushy lips, before the Crown Prince bursts out laughing. Arnbjorn shivered at the horrid sound. It was not even twisted version his ordinary, hearty laugh that lifts everyone's spirits. The sound eerily reminded him of the old King's laughter. Cold, dry, and uncannily mad.

Arnbjorn broke his silence. "What's so funny my lord? I thought -"

"The old man's calling himself Emperor of the Southern Isles now!" He slammed his hammer-like fist against the window sill, and the wood cracked from the force. "Truly, he's gone senile!"

Ulfric laughed that uncanny laugh again, but the Housecarl dared not to voice the family resemblance. The Crown Prince suddenly held up the letter between two fingers. "Later tonight, send a message to the men stationed at the I want the Changing of the Guard to be done by the time of the Solstice Ball. Now excuse me, I have to meet the Queen to discuss something about the ball."

Fire consumes the paper, burning it to black ashes within mere seconds. Ulfric blew the tips of his fingers, extinguishing the remaining embers, before storming out of the room.

Arnbjorn swallowed his primal fear, the small voice in his head lamenting his choice of a job. He could have been a baker like his father. He had always doubted his line of work, but sadly, a good housecarl serves his lord without question.

Even if it meant death.

* * *

A loud battle cry echoed in the gardens as ice struck against ice, sending a sharp crack resounding in the air. Elsa locked blades with the frost golem she created, but the only thing she saw in its featureless face was her own reflection. Unlike Olaf, this creation of hers possessed no feelings, no morals, and no remorse.

Frustrated, she grunted and kicked the golem, sending the ice soldier a solid six feet back.

Anna covered her hand over her mouth. Every little motion Elsa makes fills her with anxiety over her sister's safety. What if she slips and stabs herself? What if the sword breaks and the shards enter her? Although, Lord Clemenson had said that Elsa's skill was comparable to her father's, who had been an expert swordsman at his time.

But can she trust his words?

The General, who was sitting beside her, twirled the tip of his bushy mustache as he inspected her sister's sparring maneuvers. He reminded Anna of the Duke of Weaseltown, except that she took this guy seriously instead.

"Good technique, but your blocking is a little sloppy."

"What do you me - whoa!"

Elsa raised her blade in the nick of time, stopping the golem's sword from taking her head off her shoulders. However, the force knocked her to the ground and sent her sprawling. Frostbite flew out of her grasp, embedding itself ten feet away.

"Elsa!" Anna stood up and was about to rush in when the General pulled her down. Time slowed down as Anna watched in horror.

The golem approached her calmly, the snow crunching under its pillar-like feet. Raising the blade high, the golem thrusts it downward, hellbent on stabbing her heart clean through. But Elsa refused to die so easily. Especially not in the hands of one of her own creations!

Elsa rolled to the side, dodging the sword's bite, and got on one of her knees. Time flowed like sand as the Queen launched her counterattack. A facsimile of Frostbite started to come to life in her hand, but time she had to act quick. Elsa swung it full speed before it even fully formed. The icy blade solidified just in time, striking its mark. Frostbite severed the frost golem's "head" clean off. Her assailant collapsed on its knees and then melted into cold water.

In a feat that surpassed her father's achievements, Elsa had managed to slay an opponent without even looking.

Slightly winded but otherwise unharmed, Elsa simply walked over to her old fallen blade and picked it up, destroying the duplicate she had made. She twirled the frost sword in her hand and smiled at her audience of two.

"What'd you think?"

Anna rushed up to her, pulling her in a tight embrace. The blonde awkwardly returned the gesture, before willing Frostbite away so she can give her a proper embrace. God, she sensed how much the redhead wanted to kiss her. "Don't you ever scare me like that ever again, Elsa!"

"Relax... I know what I can do," she assured.

Not believing her, Anna pulled out so she can look her sister right in her face. A faint smile was on the blonde's beautiful, pale lips, and Anna caught herself fixated on them. "At least promise me you'll be safe," she whispered gently.

The faint smile grew. "I will..."

Remembering they had company, the two girls part from their embrace before implications could be made. The soft blush that colored their cheeks thankfully didn't give anything away.

Elsa spotted someone large moving in from her side through her peripheral vision. She knew right away who it was. "Hello Ulfric."

The Crown Prince extended his arms wide in greeting. "Ah, my favorite Queen!" He took her hand into his own and pulled them in close to give it a kiss.

Elsa had to stop herself from wincing in disgust when she felt the wiry, auburn hair brush her skin. His lips were nowhere _near_ her sister's lips. Anna's were soft to the touch, loving, and sent a shiver of pleasure up her spine with every kiss. Ulfric's are just... she was going to have to wash her hand after this.

He dropped her hand, and all the warm cheeriness he exhibited were dropped. Ulfric's face was filled with concern for her. "The ball will be in a couple days."

"I know."

He pursed his lips, as if he had just swallowed something very bitter. "You know there will be suitors."

His words hit her like a brick wall. _Suitors_. Not once did she consider about suitors since she accepted that she had loved Anna. That was at the least of her worries, until now. A few months ago, she had said that she'll consider suitors at the Solstice ball. No matter how much she wanted to desperately believe in it, no one in their right mind will accept the prospect of Elsa marrying her own sister. The civilized world would rather lynch both of them in cold blood than see them together.

But no, there's got to be a way to avoid suitors. Her heart belongs to Anna! The clarion call to duty for Arendelle suddenly blasted in her ears, drowning out even the voice of her heart. How could she be such a _fool_? How could she have been so _fucking_ _blind_? She's the Queen of Arendelle; duty to her country is above all else! A good queen puts country first and lets her mind rule, not her heart! For the safety of her sister, herself, and most importantly, Arendelle, Elsa has to go with it.

Now matter how painful it is.

But her heart refused to be silenced. Anna is the only one for her! It's true love!

Another civil war erupted in Elsa's mind. She blinked hard, feeling her eyes starting to become watery.

"_S-suitors_?"

Anna touched her shoulder. "Elsa, are you alright?"

"You seem lightheaded," Ulfric pointed out.

The pained look her sister-turned-lover gave her told her everything. Anna felt her heart race and her stomach sank deep as terrible thoughts entered her head. Her sister will have to marry another royal soon enough. It would be perplexing to others if the sisters never married. No heir would be born to take the throne, and no one will continue the family bloodline. And the fact that they are so _close_ was sure to eventually give them strange looks.

She looked at her sister. The blonde was struggling with her internal war, threatening to burst into tears right in front of them. They briefly lock eyes for a few, crucial moments.

The sad, azure orbs gave Anna her answer. _I'm so sorry Anna._

Elsa's voice was weak, like she had already broken into shards inside. "I... I'm going to be alone..." Without saying anything more, Elsa turned around and swiftly strode out the garden, leaving Anna, Ulfric, and Lord Clemenson speechless.

* * *

It had been a few days since they last talked or even seen each other. Thrice a day, Anna knocked at her door. Elsa's reactions were similar to the last thirteen years, slamming the door to her face.

Anna gazed sadly out her window. The sun was already down, the winter night reclaiming its dominion in the sky, but the stream of ships entering the bloated port was now only dying down. There was just as much ships as the last ball, if not more. Dozens, if not hundreds of men were probably itching and ready to duel to the death to get a chance to ask Elsa's hand for marriage.

The very thought sickened Anna to her soul. How could Elsa just leave her hanging like that? True, her sister loves her with her heart, Pabbie confirmed so. But was he even considering her duties as queen?

Had Elsa abandoned her again?

A nauseating sensation overwhelmed Anna. After all they'd done, she was going to leave her like that? After promising they would never leave each other? After making love?

Lowering her head between her legs, the redhead felt nothing but misery. The same sensation she felt after first learning that Hans never loved her was mercilessly tormenting her like a vengeful revenant. Fate was no doubt laughing at her misery now.

Tears fell down her cheeks, and her soft sobs filled the room. She just wanted her sister and her to be happy again. To be able to love each other again and to feel each other.

_What's so wrong about that? It's true love..._

She didn't know how long she was sobbing for. Thirty minutes? An hour? Two hours? The ball could have been well underway already, and that's not counting the afterparty. Though not like Elsa cared for her presence. Suddenly, a dark idea hatched in the recesses of her head, raw emotion triumphant over reason.

_Fine. If I can't have Elsa, then I'll make Elsa want me._

Running up to her drawer, the princess rifled through it relentlessly, tossing clothes everywhere. Finally, she found what she needed, her make-up box.

As she generously applied some make-up on her face, the redhead couldn't help but giggle at the ingeniousness of her plan. In a matter of minutes, Princess Anna's cuteness was buried. Gone was the innocent Princess of Arendelle. She was no longer innocent after that night anyway.

The way she applied her makeup would give any man a heart attack from sheer desire. There's no doubt Elsa wouldn't be immune as well. _Definitely_ not.

Anna carefully changed her clothes before readjusting her make-up. She smiled at the woman in the mirror. "Let's see how long Elsa will last before she's begging me to take her back!"

* * *

Elsa kept a straight face as she watched the crowds dance about the ballroom. It had been only a few months since she opened the gates, but a little part of her was still not used to the sight of watching this many people. The last time there was this many people, she had inadvertently set off a mini ice age.

At least she doesn't have to worry about anything, right? She has suppressed her feelings for Anna, only minute traces clinging on in her head.

The only problem was picking the right suitor for her. A good dozen that already had asked for her hand were creeps, lived too far away, or weren't even royals. Surprisingly, a good amount of the male guests were already married or engaged, so she has no chance with them. But nevertheless, a queen still has to choose a perfect suitor.

_Anna's the one for you_, her heart whispered murmured softly.

A frown briefly appeared on her stoic face, breaking the mask_. Silence._

She wipes it off as a man with water blue eyes and hazulnut hair approached her. He was tall and sleek, and was wearing very nice clothes, but he moved in an odd fashion. It was like he's trying to get from one place to another in a sort of liquid manner.

"Good evening, Queen Elsa of Arendelle," the man said as he bowed strangely, "I am Crown Prince Mitsu of Adenia."

_He's a little weird, but at least his kingdom is nearby. _

Elsa curtsied. "Good evening. It's a pleasure to have you grace my Hall." Despite her heart's disgust for attempted flirtation with him, her duties to Arendelle beat it mercilessly to the ground.

Mitsu smirked at her. "What a beautiful dress you have."

She had been wearing a long, off-the-shoulder ice gown, the crystalline blue fabric fitting her figure nicely. Her sheer cloak was infused with geometric, pearlescent snowflake patterns. Embedded upon the ice gown itself were multiple iridescent gems of ice, which glimmered softly in the light like stars.

"Thank you..." the Queen laughed nervously, but strangely she did not blush like she wanted to.

The Prince leaned in and whispered, "Do you want to dance with me?"

"I'm not much of a dancer, but... why not." Elsa beamed happily at him.

_Liar! You dirty, no good, cheating liar! _

Her heart shrieked in agony, accusing her of lying. Her mind tried to oppress it and silence it, but it was not going to go down without a bitter fight. Elsa felt herself become uncomfortable, butterflies in her stomach.

Mitsu saw the discomfort on her face, and he puts an arm around her. "Are you okay?"

She forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

_No you're not_.

"In that case, why don't we dance?"

She smiled at him as they strode to the dance floor. The guests cheered and whooped, and she saw Ulfric give her (or was it Mitsu?) a thumb's up. The prince pulled her close, giving her a wink. "Shall we?"

Slipping his hand into the Queen's, he closed into her personal space as he slipped the other down to her waist. He led her as they began waltzing, albeit it was more like they were flowing instead of dancing. Elsa attempted to resist imagining Anna as her partner, even though the redhead was clumsy and awkward. Nervousness and regret struck her again as a flurry of thoughts whipped through her mind.

_What am I supposed to do with her? Is Anna going to be ever forgive me? _

She glanced into the crowd, and briefly caught sight of a girl that eerily resembled Anna. The girl was making out with a young man passionately. She did a double take and realized that it _is_ Anna. Anger and jealousy erupted like an angry volcano in her, overcoming duty and reason. The Queen's heart had won the battle for now, and was now seizing the chance to direct its wishes.

Their harmonious waltzing came to a halt as Elsa thrusts Mitsu away from her and stormed to her sister, the people parting out of fear. She noticed that Anna was looking right at her as she approached them.

"What is _this_?" the blode snarled as she forced them apart.

"Hey, wh-" A vicious, cold, soul-staring glare from the Queen shuts the man's mouth.

Anna recovered, and Elsa gasped at how changed her sister had become. Anna had been always light on the makeup, effectively giving her face that halo of innocence. Now, her maquillage effectively told everyone that perfect girl was gone.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Anna retorted, placing her hands on her hips, "How come you can get a suitor, huh?"

"Because I -"

Anna's eyes became watery. "Because what, Elsa? It's your duty? Yeah right. Why don't you ask yourself what you really believe in first before jumping into the same mistakes I did!"

The words struck Elsa, leaving her stunned. All eyes were now on them. She had to carefully choose her words. "Anna you barely know this boy -"

The princess reined in the momentum of her feelings and directed it all at her older sister. "And you barely know that creep you were dancing with! You're all about 'duty to Arendelle' but don't you realize I fall under that category too?!" She threw her hands up. "I'm not someone you can cast out anymore like you did all those years. I have feelings too..."

Anna broke into a choked whimper as she finished. She shuts her eyes tight, holding in her tears as she ran away. Oppressing guilt crushed Elsa as realization crashed into her like a tidal wave.

_What have I done?_

Murmurs filled the air. A noblewoman with short, brown hair approached her slowly, concern in her green eyes. "Queen Elsa, are you okay?"

Clenching her fists in barely controlled anger, the Queen brushed past the woman, intent on finding her sister. "I... I'm going to find her..."

* * *

"Anna!" Elsa called out as she searched the empty halls. She had searched her room, the kitchen, and the library. None of those places yielded where her sister has been, and the couple of guards she had posted to keep the upper levels clear of guests were of no help. Anger, guilt, and panic start growing like a malignant tumor in her chest, and began constricting her heart like a serpent.

She remembered the painful words Anna spat at her. _I'm not someone you can cast out anymore like you did all those years. I have feelings too. _Inthe midst of her confusion three days ago, she had forcefully isolated herself from Anna to question her love. For the most part, the clarion call to duty for Arendelle had been triumphant. Or so it seemed. Her heart plagued her for her choice of action, never changing its mind despite all that was done by her conscience to steer her back.

How foolish she had been to deny her love. "Anna!" Elsa shouted once more.

The forlorn noise of her sister's cries betrayed her position. _The painting room_. Elsa's eyes widen and she immediately rushes to the painting gallery. Sure enough, Anna was weeping right on her couch right in front of her mute heroine, Joan of Arc.

The blonde rushed up to her, arms wide open. "Anna!"

The princess's head shot up at her. It was an ugly contradiction to her earlier beauty. Anna's makeup was ruined by her intense sobbing, black splotches under her teal eyes while streaks of black ran down her cheeks.

"Go away!" she snarled.

Elsa wrapped her arms around her tightly, holding on despite her fierce struggling. "Anna, please! listen to me!" the blonde pleaded.

"No! I said go! Go away!"

A sharp ache suddenly erupted at her side. It took a mere millisecond for her to realize that Anna had threw a vicious punch at her ribs. Snarling in unbridled rage, Elsa gripped the redhead's wrists and pinned her arms above her head on the couch. Anna's struggles intensified even further, writhing under her while trying to kick the older girl off of her body.

"No! Let _go_ of me!"

Glaring at her, Elsa made an attempt to make eye contact with her furious sister. "Anna! Please! Listen to me!" Despite her attempts to restrain her, Anna still struggled in her grasp. "Dammit, Anna, listen! I'm sorry that I slammed the door on you the last few days! I'm sorry that I chose to shut you out again!" She buried her face into her sister's neck, her own tears running freely down her face and dripping into Anna's skin.

"I'm so, _so_ sorry that I abandoned you..." Her voice was on the edge of snapping in half. "Will you forgive me?"

Anna gave no her response, only her deep, angered breathing. She had stopped struggling, but Elsa still kept her grip strong in case the princess kicked her. They kept quiet, the thick tension between them stirring like a summer thunderstorm.

_Was I too late to apologize?_

Uncomfortable with the tense silence, Elsa pulled up to check on her sister. The redhead's eyes were closed, as if she was meditating on what to yell at her sister. "Anna?" She loosened her grip on Anna's wrists for one second.

Two arms suddenly wrap around Elsa's torso, taking her by surprise, and squeezed the air out of her lungs. The redhead began sobbing uncontrollably as she held her sister in a tight embrace. All that Elsa could do was awkwardly return the hug.

"I forgive you Elsa," she repeated breathlessly over and over again.

Relief filled the blonde until she was sure she was going to explode from the sheer amount. Not only did the internal war that had raged in her body ceased, but Anna had forgiven her for her foolishness as well. She used her sleeve to wipe Anna's makeup stained face clean.

A faint smile graced her beautiful features. "I won't leave you again... I promise on my life," Elsa whispered to her. Anna smiled and pulled her into a soft kiss.

"I won't leave you too..." the girl said amidst soft kisses. She pulled out and looked away.

"I'm sorry I kissed that stranger... I was just trying to get you to notice me. I hope you're not mad."

Elsa gave her a light kiss on her forehead. "Well, you certainly got my attention." She let out a sad chuckle "Just don't do it again..."

Arousal and desire burned away the tumor of anger and guilt in Elsa's heart. From the way Anna's eyes glinted, she had felt the same thing. The pent up lust that had built up dangerously within them had to be released. _Now_.

The sisters gaze hungrily at each other, their eyes heavy-lidded, and they crashed their lips together with passion. Elsa kissed her sister fiercely, establishing dominance over her as always. Her tongue entered Anna's mouth, suppressing a whimper from the redhead. Her hands trailed up and down her sides, drawing soft moans from her lover with every cold touch.

Anna pulled out, a thing string of saliva connecting them, and moaned. "Oh God, Elsa... Please... I need you."

Powerful, raw lust commandeered Elsa's brain, and she responded automatically. She stood up and pulled the redhead on her feet. Anna was about to protest, but the blonde suddenly bent her over the couch.

The familiar sound of tearing cloth followed. Elsa stripped her sister naked, tossing the torn clothes away in the corner. The elegant crystal gown that adorned her disappeared into sparkling mist, leaving her nude as well. She wasn't thinking at all, acting autonomously based all on her lust for Anna. She had even forgot that there was a ball occurring a couple floors down.

_I don't care what they're going to say. Besides, no guests except the royal family are allowed in this level tonight._

Something cold and hard suddenly pressed up against the princess's folds, parting them slightly. Her eyes widen when she realized that Elsa was going to take her from behind like she did some nights ago.

Elsa's eyes were unfocused as she held onto Anna's shoulders to brace herself. "Get ready." She grunted as she pushed the toy into her warmth, meeting some resistance.

Anna groaned as the frosted shaft penetrated her deeply. There were ridges and other intricate designs on its surface, sending a tidal wave of sheer pleasure crashing into her with every thrust. It was absolutely _intoxicating _to her.

The Queen sets an angry, lust-fueled pace as she rocked her hips back and forth. Her cool skin slapped against Anna's warm, sweaty skin with every thrust. Soon, the

Surges of pleasure pulsed throughout Anna, driving her delirious. "Oh god!" she kept moaning loudly like there was no tomorrow.

A smirk appeared on Elsa's lips. "You're _mine_ Anna," she snarled. She played the redhead like an instrument, thrusting the toy deep inside her before almost pulling out, then burying the shaft hilt-deep once more.

Anna's moans became louder with every thrust of the shaft inside her. Pain and pleasure pulsed in dichotomous harmony, flooding her with overwhelming sensations. She yelped as Elsa took one of her braids and yanked her head back. "Elsa!"

"Take it!" the blonde snarled. Her ardor intensified the pounding she was giving the redhead. A few, violent thrusts immediately sent Anna over the edge.

"Elsa!" Pure ecstasy enraptures the princess, stars exploding in her vision. Her sister kept ramming into her mercilessly, extending her orgasm as long as she wanted.

The sounds of intense moaning, rough passion, and pure bliss saturated the very air of the painting room. Their mute observers, the paintings of long dead artists, were the only witnesses to their deed.

Or so they thought.

A shrill shriek pierces the air like a heated lance. Immediately, Elsa whipped her head at the source of the scream. Standing on the doorway were more than twenty nobles, all staring at them in shock. A couple of the women suddenly fainted while two noblemen doubled over and retched violently on the floor. The rest just stared at them with faces of horror, revulsion, and shock.

Leading them, was none other than Crown Prince Ulfric of the Southern Isles.

Elsa immediately pulled out of Anna and conjured an ice gown to cover herself, but the bulge of the toy was very noticeable. Her sister on the other hand, just stood there and stared in absolute horror at the witnesses, wide-eyed and pale as a ghost.

"Well, well, what is this?" Ulfric sneered. His demeanor as a kind, funny Viking was nowhere to be found. "Two sisters _fucking _each other senseless?"

Prince Mitsu stood right beside Ulfric immediately covered his mouth to suppress the bile crawling up his throat when he saw them. "How revolting!" he snarled. Ulfric nodded his head in agreement as he leered at the sisters menacingly.

"Do you know what we do to monsters that commit such a disgusting crime?" He slowly stalked closer, his heavy boots thudding against the hardwood floor. Prince Mitsu and a few other nobles started to follow him.

Multiple scenarios played out in Elsa's head as she desperately tried to come up with a plan. None of them ended well. A voice in Elsa head kept telling her that Fate was working against them, ready to strike them down.

_Fuck. _She had to act fast!

Elsa ripped Anna away from the couch, summoning an overcoat of ice to cover her still paralyzed sister. The addition of clothing shook Anna out of her trance, but there was no time to speak. Elsa sent a vicious wave of hailstones and sleet at the approaching nobles with the palm of her hand. Her attack bought them precious time, and Elsa decided to make a run for it, pulling Anna with her.

Adrenaline pumped madly in her veins as she took the side entrance to the paintings room as a escape route. If she could just get to the guards, they'll protect her and Anna. They have to!

Sure enough, she ran into the three palace guards she had posted to keep the upoer floors clear of guests. She made mental note to fire them for incompetence later. "Why are there guests in the painting gallery?" she said in barely controlled anger. The echoes of footsteps came closer, and the blonde started to panic.

They glowered her, and immediately Elsa could tell something was definitely not right. "We don't take orders from you," they all said in unison. Their voice was a creepy monotone. Crossing their arms, the guards block the only three possibe exits she and Anna had. The angry mob of nobles soon caught up, cutting them off. They were surrounded at all sides.

She could feel Anna hold her tightly, sobbing softly. "Elsa... I-I'm scared..."

"I know..." The blonde puts her arm around her, eyeing their assailants carefuly. She can't just kill them. That would slap a huge bounty on their heads plus it would be tacked on with the title of incestuous sinners. Their family bloodline will forever be disgraced and Arendelle's name tarnished. But she has to disable them somehow!

The window was their only chance. "Anna, get down."

"Wha-"

"Get down now!"

Anna crouched down, covering her ears and shutting her eyes tight. She heard Elsa give out a battle cry, followed by an intense blast of cold wind and ice. A cool hand grabs the back of her new coat and pulled her up to her feet. Elsa had conjured thick, sloping, jagged panes of ice to surround them like a large fence. Their attackers would no doubt have trouble getting through, but for how long?

"Come on!" Elsa urged as she pulled her sister to a large window. The blonde hurled a rather thick spike of ice at it, shattering it and the window. It was a thirty foot drop from here, but the stables were close. If they could get there, they can escape on a horse!

No time to waste, Elsa summoned a slide of frost and snow leading right to the stables. Anna gulped at she looked down. It reminded her of the fun they had during their early childhood. Well, when everything was simpler and better that is.

Ulfric's fist slammed through the ice panes. How could that man be strong enough to break two feet of ice? Panicking, Elsa pushed her sister onto the slide and followed her with it, willing it to melt behind her. Anna's pained groaned fills the air as she tumbled into the dirt. Bruises started to form on her skin, but that was the least of her worries.

"Come on!" Her sister pulled her up and they dashed headlong to the nearest horse.

Elsa mounted her steed, and Anna followed suit, sitting right behind her. The redhead wrapped her arms around her waist, holding onto dear life tightly as she sobbed. "Let's go, let's go!"

Somewhere behind them, she heard Ulfric roar in anger. "Men! Get them! Get the sinners!"

With no time to lose, and word of their fling spreading like a hellish conflagration, the two sisters rushed out the still open gates and fled Arendelle.


	9. Scorched Earth

Frozen, I am NOT your father! Disney is.

**A/N:** This chapter is dark and the chapter after this will be DARK. Just sayin'. Oh, and thank you guys for all the faves, follows, and reviews! If I could give you guys a hug, I would!

_**Chapter Nine: Scorched Earth**_

"Are you sure about this Anna?" Elsa asked nervously as she dismounted their horse. She met her eyes as she helped her sister off the stallion. Anna's eyes were bloodshot from intense sobbing after they had fled, but there was a spark of stalwart determination in her eyes in the sea of misery.

"Kristoff visits here often, right?" The spark faded ever so lightly when she mentioned Kristoff's name.

"Yes," she croaked, "H-he's not usually here unless we were together..." A flash of anguish ghosted over her face as the memories of Kristoff flashed in her head. She wasn't sure what really happened to him after she broke up with him, but her guts told her that he had probably locked himself in his cabin in the woods. She just hoped he was okay.

"If he's here, we're going to the Ice Palace." Taking her sister's hand in hers, the Ice Queen gently pulled her sister intimately close to her as they entered the Valley of the Living Rock.

She had only been here once, during the time their parents brought them to cure her sister after she had first struck Anna with her powers. A question presented itself in her mind. What if she hadn't hurt her sister back then? Would they still had become lovers? Or was it ordained by Fate that they fall in love? But then why would Fate punish them so?

She shook her head quickly to rid those thoughts. There were more important questions to ask. Like what should she have to do reclaim her place in Arendelle. And more importantly, how would the people react to them.

A cold gale blew through the empty, silent valley, rustling the branches of the trees that pockmarked the valley. The dead trees paralleled the clawed hands of demons and monsters in the dead of night. But Elsa knew there were bigger, more horrifying things out there to be afraid of other than shadows.

"Hello?" Elsa's voice echoed throughout the lonely valley.

Rocks shifted and tumbled down toward them in a serpentine manner. Elsa instinctively raised her hands, ready to halt the landslide, but Anna shot her a look that told her to calm down. The blonde lowered her hands, staring at the rolling stones.

The stones, one-by-one, came to life, revealing their true nature. Trolls. They were about to give the two sisters their standard greeting, but when they saw that Elsa was present, they reverently gave them a bow instead.

"The Queen of Arendelle is here!" a small child troll interjected excitedly. Suddenly, a posse of the small, grey, rock creatures rushed up to the Queen in excitement. From the looks of their faces, these trolls were kids too.

"Can you build a snow fort for us?" one asked with puppy eyes.

"Ooo! Can you make a BIIIG blizzard again? That was so fun!" another said.

"Do you want to build a snowman?"

Anna cleared her throat to stop them. They fell silent, sensing the aura of seriousness around her and Elsa. "I'm sorry, but I don't think now's the right time," Anna said, her voice a mere whisper in the wind. The troll children hung their head low and they dejectedly walked away.

"We have to see the Troll King. It's very important," Elsa told the trolls. The strange beings parted, revealing the old shaman and king that had saved her sister's life. His lips were pursed, as if he already foreseen their predicament, as he approached them.

"Hello Queen Elsa," Pabbie greeted. Elsa acknowledged him with a nod of her head while Anna just looked away.

Leaning down on her knee to meet the shaman eye-to-eye, Elsa whispered to him softly. "May we talk to you privately?" Pabbie nodded in respect for her request.

The shaman gestured to his fellow trolls to give them privacy, and they all turned back to rocks and tumbled off to a respectful distance. "Alright. Tell me what happened."

Elsa and Anna glance at each other. "You tell him, Elsa. I-I don't think I can tell him without breaking down..." Anna croaked. Her voice was distant, tired after hours of sobbing.

With a deep breath, Elsa recited their miserable predicament. She felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment and fury raged like a wild fire in her as she told him when Ulfric caught them making love, of how he managed to expose their taboo secret in front of the most powerful nobles in Europe. Pausing momentarily to rein in her anger, the blonde clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white. There was no sign of revulsion in the troll's face, only pity. Pabbie nodded for her to continue, so she resumed her story. When Elsa got to the part where the two sisters had to flee, Anna broke into tears right into her arms.

Elsa held her sister close to her as the redhead sobbed into her chest. The images of the moment they were humiliatingly caught were branded right into her mind, and she tightened her embrace on her sister. "If she doesn't want to hear anymore, it's fine. You two have been through enough lately, so go get some sleep," Pabbie comforted as he patted her shoulder softly.

Judging it's for the best, Elsa followed Pabbie's advice . "We'll talk more tomorrow then..." The shaman gave her one more pitiful glance, before turning back into a rock and rolling away. Elsa watched him go off, her vision blurring as tears started falling.

Alone at last, the Ice Queen joined her sister in her mourning, and their melancholic cries soon echoed sadly throughout the valley. Never before since she had exposed her powers in front of everyone during her coronation day was Elsa so furious and humiliated. She was _furious_ at Ulfric, Fate, and herself. Her raw, unbridled emotions soon manifests as vicious hail, and the bullets of hard ice started pelting everything in the valley angrily before turning their wrath on the surrounding wilderness.

However, while Elsa was unhurt by her own emotion-summoned weather, her sister was not immune. The redhead whimpered, curling up to Elsa to try and hide from her sister's storm.

Large spikes of blue ice sprouted from the ground on almost all sides of the couple, growing in longer in length until they formed a crystalline cone around them to shield them from Elsa's raging storm. The clinking of hailstones ricocheting off the ice rang lightly in their makeshift ice hut, but it was drowned by their sobs.

They didn't know how long they were weeping, but their cries soon ceased, for two girls had sobbed themselves into a deep slumber.

* * *

The clock struck midnight, but Arendelle's port had not fallen asleep. Lumbering galleons attempted to hastily maneuver around each other as they fed from the kingdom. It was a miracle none of them sank yet with almost no light to guide them except the lanterns on the ships. On the streets and alleyways of the city itself, soldiers from the Southern Isles patrolled the empty streets like gangs.

Prince Ulfric stood on the balcony, watching the ships flee, a cruel sneer on his lips. When he had told the visiting nobles of Elsa and Anna's deed, a good amount of them fainted from shock or retched violently on the ballroom floor in disgust. Even the most vehement of the sisters' defenders, such as that girl Rapunzel, fell under the sway of Ulfric's charismatic words. Regardless whether their ships' crews were even aware enough to even sail at this unholy hour, the nobles fled the heinous kingdom, leaving Ulfric as the sole ruler.

He had to thank the two sisters for one thing however. They had made his job much, much simpler. Despite his mastery over tactics, he doubted his scheme would have proceeded at the pace he as now without devising some sort of lie for the masses.

Or more precisely, an opiate.

"Is this not beautiful?" he asked his housecarl, who was standing not far behind him.

Arnbjorn swallowed. "S-sir? What's beautiful, sir?"

Seizing his housecarl by the back of his head, Ulfric hauled him up to the balcony and stabbed a finger at the fleeing ships. "That!" he snarled before tossing Arnbjorn back.

"Very beautiful sir!" the housecarl hastily said as he scrambled to his feet.

Ulfric resumed observing the fleeing galleons. A couple of them almost collided together, but a wave of water halted the ships from sinking each other. He cocked his head back to bark at his housecarl. "Fetch me the messenger pigeon, Arnbjorn."

The housecarl quickly bowed before running off to fetch his master's bird. Ulfric smiled as he imagined the sight of the flotilla within Arendelle's port. Two _Harald_-_class_ frigates, a _Schleswig-class _cruiser, and three brigs were soon going to arrive, reinforcing the galleons and newly acquired brig he already had docked in port. Arendelle's so-called navy was crippled by Ulfric's purge last night, his soldiers boarding the only ship they had and easily eliminating the crew. They had also disposed of the General of the Army and police chief, Lord Clemenson, having the man beaten and left for dead in the wilderness.

The gods truly smile down upon him.

Beating wings pull Ulfric out of his musing. He turned around, watching his housecarl carry in a bird cage. The dove fluttering inside had ebony feathers, its eyes crimson red. Reaching into his coat, Ulfric pulled out a small scroll.

The death warrant for Arendelle.

He opened the cage and gently takes the dove out, placing the scroll on the little container in its back. Then, with a devilish smile, the Crown Prince lets the dove loose, watching it fly off into the night sky towards the flotilla.

* * *

The usual, lazy Sunday morning of Arendelle was always a relaxing time to partake in. Commoners of all classes were in the city's church for Sunday mass, while the merchants were preparing for the afternoon rush for lunch with fresh food. But not today. The heart of the city, town square, was packed to the brim with angry and confused citizens, marring the reflection of tranquility.

"Where's our queen?!" an angry citizen of Arendelle called out. The people started becoming agitated as they glared daggers at the Crown Prince.

Another concerned citizen raised her voice. "Where's the Princess?"

Ulfric feared them not however, no matter how much they outnumber him and the soldiers he had brought with him to usurp Elsa. In the deep of night a couple of days before the ball, Ulfric had his men assassinate most of the guards and assume their post in a cloak-and-dagger operation. All possible resistance gone, the only thing left was to assert their power over the citizenry in this damn kingdom.

"Your Queen is no longer here. And for a good reason! For I have seen her _fucking _herown sister with my own eyes!" A collective gasp escapes the crowd before they fell silent in shock. "Yes, you heard me! She had seduced her own sister, the Princess of Arendelle! They have been committing the _wicked_ sin of incest right under your noses!"

Shock, horror, and revulsion all appeared in the people's faces. "Liar! The Queen and the Princess would never do such a sin!" a brave voice called.

"Then why did they flee Arendelle then if they are innocent? Why do you think all the nobles quickly left the kingdom in the middle of the night? Because they too saw what those two _harlots _have been doing! Such vile, abhorrent acts were committed by two sisters!" His fiery words riled up the crowd, fanning the growing flame of hatred and revulsion. "How base, how _vile_ can one become? Arendelle be _damned_ to Hell if that witch Elsa or her sister take back the throne!"

The crowd's reaction was just as Ulfric planned out it will be.

"God save us from this debauchery!" a woman shouted.

"Those two will curse our kingdom's good name!" a citizen shrieked.

"God surely will reign hellfire and brimstone upon us!" Another cried, comparing the sister's sins to those of Sodom and Gomorrah.

He had the people right where he wants them. Sheep such as these fools can be easily influenced with an empty promise or honeyed words, just like Hans had said. "The Almighty will punish you for allowing them to sin! But fear not!" He spread his arms wide, almost welcoming the people to him. "For I shall direct God's wrath to the only sinful monsters, the Queen and her harlot sister!"

Roars and cheers tore through the air, inciting more and more people to the cause. The citizens were rabid and thirsty for blood, whipped up by Ulfric's charismatic voice.

Now, he's sure to win their heart. "Accept me as your king, and I shall deliver God's wrath upon them."

The crowd's reaction took Ulfric by surprise. A collective silence, followed by boos and hisses ripped the air. "No foreign prince rules Arendelle!" they shouted. A few men raised their sabres high, challenging Ulfric's authority.

Ulfric stood his ground, unimpressed by their show of bravado. _So these fools aren't sheep at all_. He's going to have to put the fear of God into them.

He held out his hand, and a blazing whip made of orange hellfire burned to life in his grasp. The citizens fell silent, gawking at the Crown Prince's fire whip. "Elsa is not the only one with powers," Ulfric proclaimed coldly.

_CRACK!_

Screams of terror pierced the air as Ulfric whipped the air above the crowd, singeing their hairs. They all fell silent and cowered in horror under the Prince's shadow. _So they fear power_. Ulfric sneered cruelly, lashing the air once more to revel in their cries of terror.

_CRACK!_

The citizens crouched down, trembling in terror of the Prince's hell whip. "Now... I am your new king. This godforsaken kingdom is now under _my_ control, got it?" The crowd gave no opposition, too fearful to speak up against him.

_Such sheep these fools are. _The blazing whip shimmered and rolled in the air as it transformed into a hellish claymore. Holding it with one hand, Ulfric pointed the blade to the crowd. He saw the fire's flickering light in their terrified eyes. "Now I am going off to find the Queen. If I hear word of rebellion from any of my soldiers, then..."

Ulfric snapped his fingers. Two of his soldiers suddenly rush into the crowd and pluck an unfortunate young man from their panicked ranks. The poor man struggled and tried to escape, but Ulfric's men viciously retaliated. Bone-breaking thuds and screams fill the air as the soldiers brutally assault the man with their brass knuckles and armored boots.

"That will happen," Ulfric chuckled nonchalantly as he watched the violence with amusement. He snapped his fingers again, and his men halt their savage beatdown, leaving the poor man bloodied and broken on the cold cobblestone.

The citizens bowed down to him, controlled by fear, before fleeing out of town square. The streets were soon empty and silent with the exception for Ulfric and his battalion of soldiers. Satisfied, the Crown Prince turned his attention to the mountains and smirked as he gazed at the North Mountain. Hans had told him this is where Elsa had fled, so there's a high chance she's hiding out there.

"Arnbjorn!" Ulfric called his housecarl over, "Sharpen your sword. We're going hunting."

* * *

Anna screamed in shrill terror as she narrowly escaped her nightmare's frightening embrace. She had dreamt that Elsa had suddenly lost her powers, and because of that, Ulfric and Hans managed to capture them. The two demonic princes were about to do _things_ to them. Frightening things that paled the princess's soul.

"Oh God..." she sobbed as she curled into a ball, leaning against the sloped, crystalline walls of Elsa's ice hut. One of her hands absently reached out, trying to find the calming, familiar touch of Elsa's body. Seconds passed before she realized in horror that her sister was not here.

Panic set in, growing voraciously as it fed on the glowing embers of her nightmare's wake. "Elsa?" she cried out, her throat dry and aching from her harsh bawling.

Elsa and Pabbie rushed into the hut, expecting a fight. A flash of terror appeared on the blonde's face as she examined her sister. "Anna, oh God, I'm so sorry I left you alone," the blonde apologized, crouching down and embracing her sister tightly.

The blonde closed her eyes as Anna buried her face into her shoulder "I have you, don't worry... I'm here for you, Anna." Her sister's cries slowly died down, but the redhead didn't let her go.

Elsa glanced quickly at Pabbie, who was waiting at the entrance of the hut. There was a pained, pitiful expression on his grey face. _True love comes at a severe cost_, he had told her earlier when they continued last night's talks. The old troll had cautioned her about that their true yet taboo love for each other would test them to the limit of their breaking point, perhaps even beyond.

She prayed to the Almighty that the worst has already passed.

"I'll get Anna's breakfast," Pabbie said before leaving to give the sisters privacy.

Alone, the two sisters immediately claimed each other's lips. It wasn't the domineering, mistress-and-slave relationship kisses they usually did and enjoyed. These kisses were comforting and gentle instead of lustful and passionate. Minutes passed, the only sounds were their soft kissing and hushed breathing.

"Feeling better?" Elsa asked, pulling out of the kiss. Anna looked at the ground.

There wasn't really anything "better" for now.

"Elsa?" the redhead asked softly, "When can we go back to Arendelle?"

The blonde pursed her lips tightly. "I... I don't know Anna. That's why I was talking to Pabbie." Elsa recalled how the old troll tried to comfort her as they came to the realization of the hopelessness of their predicament. "I don't think there's much we can do right now other than hide."

Anna's heart began thumping wildly. She was desperate for hope, desperate be assured they have something to look forward to. "Can't we go off to Corona? Rapunzel can -"

"I doubt Rapunzel willsupport us." Elsa absolutely _despises_ bursting her sister's bubble of hope. But this was grim reality of it. "No one wants two sisters who love each other more than just sisters should, Anna. It's just us..."

Anna stayed quiet, resting her head against Elsa's own. Her tear glands had run dry long ago, but a single tear managed to form and slowly slid down her cheek. "I miss Momma and Papa..."

A pang of sorrow struck the blonde again, adding only to the raging storm inside. Elsa wiped the tear away, the bead of salty water turning into ice as she flicked it away. "We only have each other... it's just you and me..." the blonde whispered sadly.

"What are we going to do?"

Pabbie cleared his throat, interrupting them. The two sisters look at the old troll. He was carrying a wooden plate of smoked salmon and bread, and he walked up to the redhead and carefully placed it next to her. "Here's your meal. Bulda cooked them." He then left without another word.

Elsa proceeded to sit right beside her sister, silently observing the redhead hungrily eat the food given to her. Although the salmon was rather plain, lacking the intricate, exotic spices peppered on it, it was all they could have after being exiled. The luxurious life they lived as royals was one of the many enjoyments of life Fate had robbed them of.

At least they have each other. And Elsa would do anything in her power to prevent her from losing Anna.

"Elsa?" Anna asked through a mouthful.

Her voice shook Elsa out of her trance. "Yeah?"

"Can you teach me how to swordfight after this?"

After all they'd been through, Elsa could use for some stress relief. Of course she'd rather take it out by making love again, but swordplay is the next best thing. For the first time since they were exiled, a ghost of a faint smile appears on her lips. "I thought you will never ask."

* * *

Marshmallow absently wandered the empty halls of his ice castle. This is his daily routine in his kingdom of isolation, for he had but one purpose in his life: to keep his mother, Elsa, safe from any would be intruders. Many months have passed but he's just waiting patiently for her return, cleaning up the place.

But the prospect of seeing his mother again kept him going.

"One day she'll come back," the monstrous snowman said to himself. He smiled at his reflection on the amber-colored ice.

His head perked up when he heard the doors to the palace groan open. _Momma's back!_ Adjusting the tiny tiara on his head, the abominable snowman slowly lumbered to the entrance meet his mother. He can't wait to see the look on her face.

"Momma's home!" he roared happily, his deep voice echoing through the empty chambers.

The snowman bursts into the central chamber, arms outstretched ready for a warm hug. "Momma!"

Five armed men turn to look at him, shock and fear appearing on four of them. They remind him of the men that hurt him when they tried to catch his mother. He almost got them out, but one of them, a man with red sideburns defeated him and forced him off a cliff. The memory angered the brute, and sharp shards of ice crystals burst forth from his back, elbows, hands, and knees.

"GET OUT!" he roared angrily, his cold breath blowing back the men.

"Abomination!" one of them cried as he scrambled backwards. The soldiers took out their swords, the silver steel glimmering.

One man, either immensely brave or stupid, slowly and cockily walked up to him. Marshmallow growled dangerously, his blue eyes glaring daggers at him. The bear-looking man looked uncannily familiar... The brute, distracted by his thoughts, left a fatal opening to his foe.

Extending both of his hands, Ulfric lets loose an immense, blazing spiral of hellfire. The inferno consumes the icy brute, melting it to a steaming puddle in a matter of seconds. Convection from the intense heat and fire started spreading within the ice castle, and the interior of structure slowly started melting.

"Spread out! Search every hall for those two!" Ulfric barked to his men.

The soldiers spread out, searching every corner of the fortress. All of the chambers yielded the same result: nothing. Frustrated, Ulfric and his men left the castle to reconsider their tactics. Night was already falling, stars twinkling above in the tranquil sky.

"Dammit!" Ulfric snarled angrily. Rolling clouds of water vapor puffed out of the Prince's flared nostrils with every breath. Irritated, he hurled a orange-white fireball at one of the supporting pillars of the castle, melting it from the intense heat. The structure groaned as it teetered dangerously.

"Sir, we could check the royal library for possible clues," one of the soldiers suggested.

It seemed like a good idea. A whole treasure chest of knowledge could be used for their advantage in the library. Ulfric scratched his beard, considering it. "Fine. As soon as you find something suspicious, tell me."

The Prince was about to begin their journey down the North Mountain back to his kingdom, but decided to put their retreat on hold. Concentrating all of his inner fire in one potent fireball, the Prince fired the hellish projectile at the base of the castle. Ice and snow melted, turning into huge clouds of steam as the fireball exploded. A loud, mournful groan echoes through the mountain range.

The once proud, majestic ice castle fell of its icy perch as molten slag and slush down the mountain side. Deadly avalanches followed its wake, roaring down the lower extremities of the North Mountain.

Arnbjorn looked on with horror as the Crown Prince observed his work. "What was that for?!" the housecarl probed. He had thought the palace was a masterpiece, something beautiful and awe-inspiring. The least Ulfric could have done was let it stand as a testament.

"That?" Ulfric chuckled darkly, blowing the black smoke emanating his fingers, "That's called scorched earth."

* * *

Tired after hours of training, Anna and Elda decided to find a private place on the outskirts of the Valley to relax before dinner. For the sake of their mutual happiness and relationship, the two decided it would be best if they tried to put the past behind and focus on the future. They will not return to Arendelle just yet. Instead, Elsa had arranged for them to hide in the Valley until they have the right chance to reclaim it.

Lying with her older sister on the ground alone, all of Anna's fears and worries were pushed aside as if they never existed. She clung onto Elsa's torso while the blonde had an arm protectively slung around her. They had requested the trolls leave them alone for an hour.

Peeking at the sky, Anna was greeted by a familiar sight from the past. A smile graces her features. "Look Elsa... the sky's awake..." Anna said as she pointed to the heavens. The blonde looked up, and gasped softly when she saw the heavenly sight.

Aurorae.

Curtains of vermillion hung high above the air. They shimmered and moved hypnotically, dancing in the heavens where no mortal can dream of reaching. Hauntingly beautiful and just as mysterious, they were relics of a bygone time for the two girls.

Memories of Elsa's childhood surfaced in her head as they watched the heavens light up. They had so much fun back then, not having a single care in the world as they played together. Until that night. Oh God, that _night_. For _thirteen_ long years, the two were isolated until they were almost strangers to each other. Only now did they start making up for those drifted years. Fate had never been kind to Elsa, mistreating her and beating her, its sadistic desires relishing in her misery. It was only now where it felt like Fate was actively trying to make her desire to kill herself.

She didn't notice she had been crying until Anna shook her out of it. "Elsa! Elsa! What's wrong?" Focusing on her sister's voice, the blonde hauled herself out of the pool of misery she fell into.

Elsa pulled her sister into a tight embrace, burying her face into her ginger hair. "I'm here Elsa..." her sister's voice comforted her. Anna was her beacon in the storm.

_How ironic_. Earlier this morning, she was comforting Anna in a very similar manner. Now it's nighttime and Anna's returning the favor to her. It was funny, yet melancholic at the same time.

Elsa gently wiped her tears off her face. "Thank you Anna," she sniffled. She kissed the redhead's hair, enjoying the sensation. "I was just thinking about our lost childhood. And how much we have lost out on just because of _fucking_ Fate..."

Anna kept quiet as she cuddled up closer to her sister. Elsa rarely swore outside of the bedroom. When she did curse, either the situation was very grave, or had agitated Elsa beyond her vocal self-control. She had to change the subject quick before her sister makes another hailstorm or worse, a mega-blizzard.

"The sky's awake, so I'm awake, so we have to play!" she said mischievously.

"What?" Elsa sputtered, confused at her sister's words. She pulled her up to look at her, and she instantly notices the little spark of naughtiness in the girl's teal eyes. Elsa knew what her sister desired instantly. "Anna, now's not the ti-"

The redhead's mouth silences her, kissing her ardently. Elsa groaned as she pushed back to take command of the kiss. "Oh God, Anna..." the blonde moaned into her lips.

"I-I need you Elsa," the redhead whispered breathlessly, her eyes half-lidded.

Her sister pulled out the kiss and smirked at her. With a simple wave of her hand, she conjured another ice hut to give them privacy as they commit their deed.

Soon enough, the two sisters' moans of ecstasy began echoing throughout the night.

* * *

Pieces of paper hung in the air, before gently falling into the hardwood floor like a twisted mockery of snowfall. The library was a warzone as soldiers gutted the place in search for clues. Ulfric himself searched relentlessly through the books, skimming every single page before mercilessly tearing out its entrails, adding to the paper littering the floor.

"There's nothing here!" he snarled. All the books he had read were irrelevant to finding Elsa.

Taking another book in his grasp, he skimmed over the manuscript's ancient pages. Had he been searching for geometry problem-solving methods, this book would have been useful. Alas, the historic piece's priceless papers soon joined its ripped brethren among the floor, torn by the Crown Prince's hand.

"Arnbjorn! Did you find anything useful in this damn place? Men?" If there's one thing more that the Crown Prince hates other than failure is when soldiers do not respond in time. His heavy footsteps crush the littered pages as he stormed around the library looking for his men.

Ulfric found the housecarl hunched over in a corner, heavily entranced by a black book. "On your feet, housecarl!" the Prince barked, grabbing the thin man by his throat and forcefully picking him up. The book fell out his hands, falling pages first into the floor. Its title: _Livre de L'amour._

Tossing his housecarl aside to the floor, the Prince picked up the book and inspected its pages. His eyes widen as he skims the pages. It was written in French, only adding to the sheer _lewdness_ of the words that graced it.

"What is this?! An erotic novel?" Ulfric spat in disgust as he hurled the book right at Arnbjorn. The housecarl miserably fell forward face-first into a pile of papers when the book nailed him in the back of the head.

Disgusted at the contents of the royal library, Ulfric hurled his fist at a bookshelf. The shelves groaned and trembled from the mighty force, and plenty of books fell from their perch. Along with a strange, yellow paper. This one was different from the others, since it was rolled up like a scroll and it had fallen from the top of the bookshelf. Interested, Ulfric leaned down and opened it to scrutinize its contents.

The scroll contained an elaborate hand-drawn map of Arendelle and the surrounding lands. But what caught his attention was the winding arrow that led from the city, to a unmarked region far north. Although it was given no title, Ulfric deduced by the surrounding drawings around it indicate that this region was a valley.

Ulfric had a strong hunch that this valley was very important to had used it and he knew exactly who that person might be. _No more hiding._

He glanced out the window, gazing at the red auroras high in the heavens. A satisfied smile appears on his lips. Truly the gods smile down upon him, for the ancient map had unwillingly orchestrated the downfall of Elsa.

Seizing the bumbling Arnbjorn by his scruff, Ulfric effortlessly hauled the housecarl to his feet. He gave him a cruel sneer. "Muster the men, knave. We're going off for a midnight ride."

* * *

Elsa and Anna slept softly together, huddled up inside a slumber bag given to them by the trolls. They had just finished making love for the second time to comfort themselves, so they wore nothing underneath the bag. The blonde had her arm around her sister's bare stomach, holding her close to her body. It was pleasant to sleep together, since their vivid nightmares were kept at bay whenever they slept together like this.

But something was about to ruin their night.

The blonde's eyes slowly open as she woke up for her periodic duty to check on Anna. She was sleeping like a log. However, her instincts were telling her something was very, _very_ wrong. Something awful in the air suddenly caught her attention, alerting her even further.

First, the repugnant stench of smoke hung in the air like a malicious ghost. Second, the flickering orange light outside was growing faster and becoming brighter, resembling the flames of hell. Third, a faint yet horrifying sound droned in the night. It was the sound of sheer terror.

Eyes widening, the blonde shook Anna's shoulder to wake her up. "Anna, get up!" she urged. The redhead mumbled something incoherent and curled into a ball.

A panicked scream abruptly pierced the air, shattering the redhead's sleep. "What happened?!" Anna asked, her eyes wide in alarm. The sisters whip their heads to the source of the shrill scream.

"Help us Elsa!" a troll cried as he ran towards their hut. "There's -" A sickening _thump _cut him off, and the troll's eyes widen as he fell to the ground. A bloody arrow was sprouting off his back like a dead flower.

The two girls gawk appalled at the corpse. What kind of _monster_ would do such a thing? The clunking of boots come closer, revealing the assailant. He was a soldier, but there was a cruel, sadistic smile twisting his face. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he sneered at them.

Elsa reacted immediately, pushing Anna behind her as she rushed up on her feet and blasted the soldier with a wintry blast of ice, encasing everything below his neck with rock solid ice. He grunted as he tried to shatter his coffin, but Elsa wasn't going to let him go.

"What are you doing here?" she snarled. The heat from the fires raging not far from her were sapping her strength, taking

He spat in her face._ "Fuck you, harlot." _

How _dare_ he curse at her like this? Rage before reason overcame her, and she gave the man a stinging slap. He just laughed cruelly at her and cockily spat in her face again. She was about to slap him again when she felt Anna's hand on her shoulder, and she turned to face her. Anna was cradling the dead troll in her arms.

"Elsa, the trolls..." Disgust and horror tainted her soft voice. Whoever this man worked for was punishing the trolls for taking them in. And she had a good feeling who was all behind this.

She rests the corpse against a bush, before turning back to face her sister. Her arms were trembling as she approached the blonde. "We have to help them."

Elsa had already summoned ice armor and Frostbite, well intent on defending the only ones that respect her love for Anna. They had taken them in only a day ago. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, to run away to the ice palace while they had a good chance.

But Elsa refused to let the trolls down after what they had done.

Her sister ran into their hut, emerging a minute later clad in the garments the trolls had given her as a gift. "Alright, let's go."

Elsa hurled a wave of cold air towards the wall of flames consuming the trees, extinguishing the fires. More fires were burning at the other side of the Valley, illuminating a heart wrenching scene. Corpses of soldiers and trolls littered the stone grounds, their blood pooling into ponds. Taking Anna's hand into hers, the two girls made a beeline to the center of the valley.

"Pabbie! Bulda!" Anna screamed as they arrived to the empty, corpse-ridden field. There was no trace of the old troll or his daughter.

Frostbite hissed to life in Elsa's hand as she ran her eyes around the bloody carnage. The trolls had given the soldiers a brave fight, killing a dozen of them with their wooden spears and swords. But their defense was in vain, for they had lost thrice their numbers in blood. The two sisters tried to search the corpses, looking for any signs of the shaman.

Elsa carefully examined the emblems on the armor of the dead soldiers. _A wolf's head. _Her eyes widen from the shocking revelation_. These men are from the Southern Isles. _

_CRACK_

A sharp pain erupted in the back of Elsa's thigh. She glared at her leg and was greeted by the sight of a crossbow bolt embedded in her ice armor, blood dripping down the plates of ice.

"Oh fu-"

_CRACK_

Another bolt impaled her wrist, sending a sharp pain up the blonde's arm. Frostbite fell out her grasp, stabbing the corpse of a soldier as it landed. Elsa trembled violently as the burning pain in her thigh and wrist tormented her. The bolts had been poisoned, but with what?

Anna could only watch as Elsa fell on her knees. "Elsa!" Anna screamed, running up to her fallen sister.

"Nice aim, Friedrich. You deserve a raise."

The Crown Prince's voice sent a wave of pure fear through the bloody Valley. Emerging from a crag of rocks, Ulfric and his men sneered at them as they surrounded the two sisters. The five soldiers trained their crossbows at them, itching to pull the lever.

"What do you want from us?!" Anna yelled as she embraced her bleeding sister. Elsa was sweating, and her eyes were half-lidded and her pupils dilated.

Ulfric smiled at her. There was an unbelievable amount of maliciousness deep in his eyes. This man was a _devil_. "Oh, I'd tell you after you wake up," he said nonchalantly.

A boot kicked the back of Anna's head, knocking her out cold. She slumped forward, limp. "A-Anna…" the blonde slurred. Elsa felt her vision starting to blur, the pain in her thigh and wrist throbbing. The last thing she saw in her vision before she blacked out was Ulfric smirking at her.

* * *

_ANOTHER WARNING:_ The next chapter will be VERY **DARK. **Have some backup fluff fics to compensate for the darkness.


	10. You'll Never See Me Cry

I own NOTHING from Frozen.

_**WARNING**_: Very, VERY DARK shit (torture and rape) is going to go happen in this chapter. I know some of you might deem the violence not necessary, but this serves an important purpose. Now go get your fluff ready because you're going to need it. Oh yeah, ANNA AND ELSA ARE NOT GONNA DIE!

_**Chapter Ten: You'll Never See Me Cry**_

The cold, hard touch of a stone pillar that she was chained to was the first thing Elsa felt as she gradually recuperated her consciousness. There was a horrid, fetid stench in the stale air, one scent that Elsa had smelled before, during the time Hans had attempted to imprison her.

Her raced in her chest, beating angrily like a caged bird. She was in the castle dungeon.

Elsa forced her eyelids to open. Her arms were encased in strange ebony metal, strapped down to the pillar to restrict her. These were _not_ the same kind that Hans had imprisoned her with, and they were definitely not forged by Arendelle's blacksmiths. A sharp, throbbing pain pulsed madly in her wrist and the back of her thigh when she attempted to move.

"Dammit..." she hissed weakly, resting her head against the pillar and gritting her teeth. With her limbs restrained tightly, the blonde was in no condition to escape. Her armor was also gone, replaced by a simple, plain white shirt and pants.

The cell door groaned open, and Prince Ulfric strode in. She fixated her eyes on the devil, hatred burning in her. She blasted the restraint with frost in a futile attempt to break them, but the black metal held steady.

"Ah, you're awake," Ulfric said coolly as he towered over her kneeling form.

"You... You killed the trolls," Elsa said, her voice shaking. Although she did not see Pabbie's body anywhere, she doubted the old troll would go done without a bitter fight for his Valley.

"I did... Such _disgusting_ things they are." He then gave her a cruel, bone-chilling smile. "Just like you and your sister."

"What have you done with Anna?!" Elsa shouted, hate in her azure eyes. Ulfric smiled softly and reached down to play with her pale blonde hair.

"Oh don't worry about her, she's safe..." A sadistic smile disfigured his bearded face. "At least until I need her for _something_."

Anger exploded in her. "Tell me where she is! Tell me now, you son of a _bitch_!"

Ulfric yanked her up by her hair, and the blonde yelped sharply from the agony. "Watch your language..." He chuckled as he observed her face contort with pain. "And she's a few cells down the block, but she's not yet awake. You would have already heard her if she was awake."

There was truth in the man's words. An awkward silence followed. "Do you want to know why you're here?" Ulfric whispered to her. She kept silent, her heavy breathing the only sound in the room.

Taking her silence for a yes, the Crown Prince leaned down to tell her. "You see, my original purpose, why I was sent to this _godforsaken shithole _you call a kingdom, was to eliminate you as a threat. But first, do you remember my little brother Hans?"

Elsa glared at his smiling face. In this dim lighting, she could barely tell the difference between the two brothers. "Hans had gone rogue, trying to acquire his own land. He had never expected you to have powers, so that was one reason why he failed. That's when this _place_ got my attention." Ulfric held up his hand, and a small fire blazed to life in his palm. Elsa gasped, a strange weakness suddenly oppressing her as she watched the flames.

Ulfric chuckled darkly, watching the shadows dance in her face. "Ah, pyrophobic much? That's good, very good. Anyways, back to the story," he hurled the fireball at a nearby torch, lighting it. "After it became clear you had powers, my Father had sent me to kill you. You are a viable threat to the expansion of the Southern Isles."

"Why didn't you kill me already?" Elsa asked. The Prince softly caressed her blonde hair, playing with it.

"Because I saw potential in you."

"Potential?" Elsa's breathing quickened as a horrifying thought entered her mind. Is he going to make her his personal sex slave? What will become of Anna if he does so?

He interrupted her thought process. "There's an enormous wealth of power I detect in you. However, you're not putting it to good use." He shook his head mockingly. "You're a superweapon. A very, very dangerous one."

There was a dropping sensation in her stomach as she swallowed his words. Her nostris flared anger. How dare he consider her a mere _tool_? "I'd never kill anyone for your imperialistic lust, Ulfric!"

"It's simple, Elsa. There's a whole city outside this castle that knows what you have done with Anna. In a few months, the whole of Europe will soon know that you've been _fucking_ your own sister." Elsa paled even further as she considered his words. "And do you know what they do with sinners that commit such a crime?"

Elsa silently watched as Ulfric slowly slid his finger across his throat. "There are plenty of people who think you're lower than the very dirt they tread on. But as my personal _Grim Reaper_, they won't think of that once you get your hands on them. In fact, they might be even begging for their miserable lives. Don't you want that?"

His offer was tempting. Very, very tempting. But she refuses, absolutely _refuses_ to be seen as a monster ever again. "Never... You see, I'm not something you can just _use_, you bastard. And I am _not_ going to be the monster you want me to become," She glared at him straight into his beady eyes. "So, _fuck you_."

The warm smile on the Prince's face twisted into a sneer. He stood to his full, imposing height of seven feet, and cracked his oversized knuckles. "Pity. I will have _fun_ watching you break, Queen of Arendelle."

He snapped his fingers. A lanky man with scraggy blonde hair reluctantly steps into the entrance of the cell. "Oh Arnbjorn! My pet here is being rebellious. Give her the Roman standard, will you?" The housecarl kept silent, but the two locked eyes for a brief moment. There was sorrow in the youth's eyes, and she could tell he was very reluctant to go forth with this.

Ulfric reached into his coat and pulled out a whip._ Roman standard_? Elsa's eyes widen in sheer terror. The bastard Prince was going to _flog_ her to submission. Her heart madly threw itself in her rib cage as fear embraced her. But her mind steeled her resolve however. Ulfric was hungry to see her cry, to see her beg for mercy as the whip strikes her skin.

But she'll deny that pleasure. "You'll never see me cry, Ulfric..." Elsa whispered in a low voice. Ulfric said nothing, as he walked behind her. His strong hands grab her shirt, and with a loud tear, he bared her back. A furious blush burned in Elsa's cheek as the tattered remains of the shirt hung loosely on her.

She shivered in disgust as Ulfric's callous fingers run down her spine. "Such beautiful skin..." A cruel smile appears on his lips as he leans in close to her ear. His hot breath was nauseating, making the room spin as Elsa gagged for air. "I wonder if your sister will still love you after I'm done with you..." The whip's leathery tail touched her softly, warning her of the pain of come.

"Burn in hell, you _bastard..." _

Satisfied, Ulfric tossed the whip over to Arnbjorn, and youth reluctantly catches it in midair. Before he goes behind Elsa to administer the torturous punishment, the housecarl silently walks over to the cell's sink and thoroughly washes his hands with cold water. Tears streamed down his face as he slowly took position behind the kneeling Elsa.

Elsa quickly noted that she will have to suffer under forty excruciating. lashes The blonde closed her eyes tightly and exhaled, preparing for the first strike.

_CRACK_

A sharp, flaring sting shot through Elsa's body as the whip struck her skin. _One._

_CRACK_

_Two. _The pain was even sharper this time.

_CRACK_

_Three_. Elsa held back tears, her body shaking softly. Her back was turning red from the bite of the whip. It was agony,

Arnbjorn raised the whip again, ready to deliver a fourth strike. However, Ulfric raised his hand to stop him. "Wait between strikes you fool. Otherwise, the old sting will dull her to the new."

A long minute passed before the whip struck her again.

_CRACK_

A loud, pained gasp tore free from Elsa's throat. She hadn't prepared for the strike, and her resolve almost broke on the fourth lash. Ice started to creep on the whipping post, but the temperature of the room increased. Ulfric smirked at her pain-contorted face.

"Your ice is no match for my fire."

_CRACK_

Droplets of vermillion blood started running down her raw back. But she cannot let him see her cry. _Five. Thirty five more. _

_CRACK_

Another pause bought her a brief reprise from the whip. Warm liquid dripped slowly down her back, and the faint scent of iron drifted up into her nostrils. How long must she suffer this? She recited her mantra in her head again, strengthening her. _You'll never see me cry._

_Fourteen agonizing strikes of the whip later_

Elsa shuddered violently on the whipping post, her nude back bloodied and bruised from the whip's strikes. The marks on her back formed a crude lowercase "t" but her seeping bloods marred the wounds. But she kept eerily silent, vehemently refusing to give into Ulfric's sadistic pleasure.

_CRACK_

_Nineteen_. Elsa's breathing accelerated, agony embracing her soul. A part of her wanted to cry out, to give into her agony and surrender to the devil in front of her. But still she refused to let Ulfric see her cry. She took a labored breath, gasping at the tremendous effort as her lungs slowly filled with blood.

_CRACK_

_Twenty. _She has to last.

Even if it kills her.

_Seven more strikes later_

The streams of blood that dripped down her back wept even stronger, turning into rivers. Elsa's limbs were cramping from loss of blood, adding whole new level to the excruciating pain she was suffering. She weakly lifted her head, her eyes unfocused from the intense agony. Pain was the only thing in her mind, threatening to wrench her away from her resolve.

"Fate has abandoned you..." Ulfric's voice said somewhere near her. For one brief moment, she believed in him.

That's when she saw her.

Anna.

Her sister was wearing pure white clothes, flowing around her even though there was no wind. She was even more radiant in her beauty, as if Anna had became an angel. Neither Ulfric or Arnbjorn seemed to notice her however as her sister entered the bloody cell.

"A-Anna?" she croaked, her voice a labored whisper. Truly this must be a figment of her imagination, right?

Ulfric laughed cruelly, clapping his hands. "She's hallucinating!" The redhead carressed her face gently, smiling warmly at her despite her bloodied torment. She embraced the blonde, careful to not touch her weeping wounds.

_So she's not real._

_CRACK_

The bite of the whip struck her again, but it's sting felt nearly harmless. She could feel the guardian angel Anna wince in sympathy as she embraced her. "Please don't give up, Elsa... Please don't let him win..."

Her voice was distant and filled with sorrow, but it sounded so _heavenly. _No earthly sound can compare to Anna's felt her strength return to her, propped up by the hope of her sister's love for her.

_CRACK_

_Twenty seven_. Her blood-stained pants were soaked with her essence, but she kept going.

Ulfric shadowed over her, standing right next to her guardian angel.

_CRACK_

"God has abandoned you..." he sneered mockingly. A delirious smile appeared on her lips. _If only he sees what I am seeing._

Anna's deliciously warm lips softly pressed against her cool ones. The agony she felt no longer tormented her, her mind having been shielded by her unconditional love for Anna.

_Twelve more brutal strikes of the whip later_

Ulfric can't believe what he was seeing. Not only had Elsa managed to not shed a single drop of tear at all during her vicious flagellation, but she had managed to withstand enough strikes of the whip that would have sent grown men bawling to their mothers!

"H-how?" the Crown Prince sputtered in disbelief. He raised his hand to stop Arnbjorn, who was readying the bloody whip for the final blow. Taking his reprieve, the housecarl dropped the whip and eagerly washed his hands again.

Elsa was only breathing heavily, each breath labored from the furious beating. Although she couldn't feel it, there was no doubt her back was profoundly lacerated. Ulfric grabbed her hair and jerked her head up to face him. The blonde's azure eyes were unfocused, staring distantly into space. Taking his hand, the Prince slapped her hard to get her attention.

"Speak _harlot_!" he snarled.

A faint sound slipped her lips. He recoiled in horror, for it was the uncanny sound of laughter. "You'll never see me cry..." her voice was incredibly weak, yet there was a steely edge that rivals even the gods.

Ulfric's nostrils flared. He was going to have to try a different approach. "Arnbjorn, watch her for me, will you?" The Prince left without word, his footsteps echoing in the halls.

A silence oppressed the bloody cell. The housecarl just sat in the corner, watching the bloody, beaten blonde rest on her whipping post. Judging his master far enough, Arnbjorn decided to raise his voice. "Queen Elsa?" he whispered.

Hearing her name, the blonde tilted her head in his general direction. Although her vision was very blurry, Elsa managed to focus on him. "Yes..." her voice was so weak, that Arnbjorn began weeping.

"I'm so sorry for putting you through this! If you you survive this ordeal and get out of here..." Arnbjorn crawled up to her, bringing his face close to hers. "I beg of you to spare my life. I don't want to do this, I can't take it anymore. Elsa, remember me when you take back your kingdom..."

His soft words were truthful, and Elsa could sense sincere repentance in the youth. All she can give him was a simple nod. With a smile, the penitent housecarl went back to his post.

"No! Let me go!" Anna's real voice got the attention of the blonde. The guardian angel by her side, was suddenly no longer with her.

Ulfric entered the cell, holding the redhead over his broad shouder before dumping her unceremoniously on the ground. Elsa's heart rate accelerated as she locked eyes with her sister. Arnbjorn just closed his eyes and looked away.

"E-Elsa?"

Anna stared, appalled to the core at the brutal scene. There was streaks of fresh and dried blood everywhere, and the torn clothes that Elsa wore were caked with her life essence. And that was only from the front. She doubted she can stomach the sight of her sister's wounded back.

"Anna..." Elsa's frail voice haunted her.

Fury erupted in the redhead. "You _bastard_!" Anna shrieked as she bucked at Ulfric to try and kick him. The thick chains that were restraining her prevented her from doing much however, and the Prince just laughed at her feeble attempts.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you son of a bitch!" Anna snarled rabidly. Elsa tried to move forward, but the dull pain in her back was slowly creeping upon her.

Her mental shield was weakening.

Seizing Anna by the scruff of her neck, Ulfric hauled her towards Elsa. He then turned the redhead over, running his oversized callous hands all over her. Elsa's heart skipped a beat, before madly throwing itself against her rib cage like a wild animal, pounding so hard it hurts her lungs.

The snarl that came from Elsa was no doubt inhuman. "Don't you _fucking_ dare touch her!" Every word she said hurts her blood-filled lungs, and she coughed up blood, staining the whipping post she was chained to.

Ulfric laughed at her predicament. The sound of tearing fabric rips through the air, and Elsa could only watch as her sister was bared before the Prince. He gazed at her nude body, licking his lips hungrily. "So this is what you see when you fuck her," Ulfric chuckled as he ran her hands over her breasts. Anna stayed silent, refusing to moan for him.

Elsa's will melted like snow in the late spring. "No... don't touch her..." she rasped. In her peripheral blurry vision, she saw the housecarl sneak out of the cell.

"I'll show her what a true cock feels like." The Crown Prince stood up and undid his pants. His erect cock was huge, raging with sadistic lust. "Unlike that abhorrent mockery of a _man_ you brutalize her with, this one is thick, hard flesh."

"No! Please don't touch me!" Anna whimpered in fear. She turned frantically to the one person she can trust, her sister. "Elsa! Elsa, please help me!"

The blonde desperately hoped there was still a chance to bargain. She weakly raised her head and tried to speak. "Ulfric... I... I submit... Just leave her..." She swallowed the blood crawling up her throat. "Just leave her alone..."

The devil positioned himself at her entrance. "Too late... What's that you said? 'You'll never see me cry?' Well let's see how long you'll be saying that."

A loud, drawn-out shriek pierced the fetid, iron scented air as Ulfric began atrociously violating her sister. The redhead screamed as the man thrusts his member deep in her, pain shooting in her insides.

"ELSAAA! Help me!"

Elsa's resolve broke down, and she began sobbing profusely onto the bloody whipping post. It was at that moment that the wounds from her flagellation made themselves known.

_Excruciating_ agony ripped through Elsa with hurricane force, threatening to make her blackout. The brutal assault on her soul from Anna's shrill screams ripped her resolve in half.

A tiny, hopeless whisper escaped her lips.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

And then, the sweet, numbing darkness took her away.


	11. Saving Grace

The copyright never bothered me anyway. Lol jk! Frozen belongs to Disney!

**A/N**: I know you're all saddened that I had to make Elsa and Anna go through shit. But please stick with me here! There WILL be a happy epilogue for this story. *takes out medigun* Now, let me heal you guys of your broken hearts.

P.S: Are you still gonna lynch me for the last chapter?

_**Chapter Eleven: Saving Grace**_

Elsa was floating.

Floating in the cold, unforgiving darkness. All alone. She felt naked, bare to the harsh elements and demonic creatures that lurk in the eternal black. She could die at any moment now. Suddenly, there was a soft tugging sensation right on her chest, and it became stronger and stronger. An invisible hand was pulling her out of the black.

Life-giving oxygen fills her empty lungs as she bursts through a thick layer of cold liquid.

_Free at last._

Her eyes shot open, and blinding white light flooded her vision. The light was not painful at all; in fact, its presence was actually healing. Strength and hope returned to her, filling in the vacuum forcibly created in her by horror and suffering. The soothing sensation of peace caressed her skin gently.

The light softly died down, and her clarity of vision returned to her. She looked down upon herself to make sure she was alright. Pure white robes of silk covered her from the neck down, and the skin that was exposed, glowed with a glittering, radiant aura of white. Elsa looked around her, and gasped at the beautiful sight. She was standing in a beautiful, alien garden. _Heavenly_ was the only word that Elsa can come up with to describe the beautiful sight.

Her eyes suddenly widen_. Am I dead?_

"No, you're not dead."

The voice seemed like it was coming from all around her; coming from the twinkling flowers blossoming on the plants, coming from the crystalline rocks, and coming from the aurorae dancing high above. It was a _divine_ sound, a chorus of golden notes that give hope even in the darkest of moments. It was the same one she had heard speak to her earlier during her unadulterated torture.

_Anna_.

A glowing mist abruptly materialized in front of her, becoming brighter and brighter until Elsa had to avert her head from the light. Once the powerful light ceased, she returned her sight to marvel upon the angelic being that had manifested.

The angel had Anna's features, except for the four wings of fibrous light that sprung from the her back. The being wore sterling white robes fabricated out of light, flowing gently around her although no wind rustled them. Unconditional love radiated from the angel's being, luring Elsa closer like a moth to a flame.

Anna placed a hand on her shoulder, her touch sending a light electrical pulse through Elsa. "At least, if you choose to not die that is," she asked in that divine voice again.

Elsa tilted her head, confused at the angel's words. Anna pursed her lips, trying to figure out a way to explain the situation to her. "You're straddling life and death. A crossroads if you will." She smiled at herself, proud at her choice of words. "What you choose to do from this point on would mean the difference between the survival between you and your sister, or the death of Arendelle and everything you care for."

The garden shifted around them. The alien trees arched and morphed their structures and branches, until they formed a two glowing tunnels, with a fork between them, leading into eternity. Mist seeped from the earth beneath their feet and hung in the air - hazy, rolling clouds of white.

Elsa was about to say that she wanted to live, but her words got jammed in her throat. Does she _really_ want to live?

She had failed to protect the trolls, leading to their cold-blooded massacre due to them simply having the heart to take them in when no one else did.

She had failed Arendelle, allowing her kingdom to fall under the influence of a tyrant.

And most importantly, she had utterly _failed_ Anna, allowing her to get brutally violated right in front of her.

With all of these soul-crushing burdens forced upon her, Elsa doubted she has the strength to carry on. Death's embrace was a heaven compared to the harsh hell of reality.

Her vision started to dim and blacken, and wisps of ebony coiled and undulated around her. Elsa felt a tugging sensation, gently pulling her backwards. "Elsa, focus! Think about the choices before you give in to Death!" The angel's voice became her anchor in the storm, and her vision suddenly lightened. The tugging ceased, freeing Elsa from its influence.

Anna took hold of the blonde's hand, soothing her and giving her strength. "Yes, Fate has been incredibly _cruel_ to you, to the point that you are driven to considering Death as an escape. But the Tides of Fate are going to be in your favor soon Elsa, believe me."

She pointed to the tunnel to the right of her. Immediately, clouds of mist rose and undulated into the air, before solidifying and forming a covering over the entrance. It took a second for Elsa to realize that she was staring right at a giant, clouded mirror.

Images materialized in the mirror, but they formed so quickly and that Elsa caught only a few, minute glimpses in the looking glass. However, three of the quick-moving images caught her attention.

The first one was herself, but she donned strange black robes instead of her tradition blue ones. She was standing alone on a mountain, looking over Arendelle. A furious combination of snow, hail, and sleet whipped madly around her, her robes flowing with the vicious wind. The second one involved her facing off with Ulfric. Their battle was utterly furious, swords of hard ice and blazing fire clashing in a titanic battle. The third, most striking image involved her and Anna. They were standing together in the chapel and _smiling _together_. _Both of them wore incredibly beautiful white dresses, and there was a man holding a book in front of them reciting something .

Elsa gasped softly, feeling her heart skip a beat. "Is that..." she trailed off, to shocked too finish her question. The warm smile on her angel's face confirmed her thought.

"Yes... But that's only if you choose to live." Her face turned dead serious. "Be warned, the tragedy you have suffered will never cease haunting you, in body and spirit."

Elsa looked at the other tunnel. The blackness gave her no images, but its true nature was inherently visible. Death awaits her with open arms should she choose that path. All her of her sorrow and all of her failures, would be destroyed, unshackling her from the earthly torment she has endured. It was very, _very_ tempting to plunge into the black.

But Elsa refused to accept its sweet temptation.

However, she must first find an answer to a burning question inside of her. "Is... is Anna fine?"

The wind suddenly roared in her ears. She felt like she was moving forward through a thin, narrow tunnel. The movement suddenly stopped, and disorientation sets into her. Elsa grabbed her head, waiting for the light vertigo to pass before getting her bearings. Lightheadedness soon passed, and she lifted her hands from her eyes to see.

She was back in her cell, yet she was still in her spirit form. Looking down, Elsa saw herself - her earthly incarnation - resting against the whipping column, her head slumped to one side. The deep, gruesome lacerations crisscrossing her back made her feel nauseous, and a faint stinging sensation crept upon her own back. It was easy to mistake her for dead, but the soft, faint rise and fall of her chest gave away that she was still alive... just barely. Elsa started to wonder how much blood she has lost.

"Well? Don't you want to see your sister?"

The angel's voice interrupted her thought process. Taking her eyes off her earthly body, Elsa walked up to the angel. The being turned around and simply walked through the heavy wooden door that led to her cell, and Elsa phased through afterwards. There was a lone guard leaning near the door, his chin resting against his armored chest as he snored.

"Don't worry, he can't see us," the angel assured. She gestured for Elsa to follow her, and the blonde took one last glance at the guard before going off.

They walked in awkward silence together, the flickering light of dying torches their only guide. Or so Elsa thought. She looked down and did a double take when she noticed there was a faint, dark trail on the stone. To her horror, she realized it was blood.

The angel raised her hand. "Here we are." She turned to face her, a pained expression twisting her otherwise angelic features. "Are you sure you can fathom the sight?"

Taking a deep breath, Elsa nodded. The angel gestured for her to step inside first. Bracing her soul for the horror, Elsa phased through the door. Her azure eyes widen in shock. "A-Anna..."

Her sister was chained by her hands against the stone wall naked, her head slumped to her side. Angry bruises and bite marks marred her freckled skin. The most horrific sight however, were the bloodstains splattered over the inside region of her thighs. Elsa swallowed the bile crawling up her throat, and she ran up to her broken sister.

"Anna! Anna please, wake up!" she pleaded, touching her cheek.

No response.

Was she too late?

"She's still alive," the angel's voice assured her from behind her.

Anna groaned softly, sobbing faintly as she tried to curl up. Her sister's labored breathing gave her some relief, but in all respects, the redhead just as close to death as she was. Elsa didn't know if she could detect her presence at this point, but she attempted to communicate with her sister.

"I'm so, so _sorry _for failing you and making you go through this..." The blonde cradled Anna's head, placing a tuft of red hair behind her ear. "Everything that went wrong, it's all my fault. But..." Determination hardened her soft voice. "But I swear to _God _that I'll get us through this ordeal, no matter how long or painful it will be."

The sound of a door creaking open interrupted her. Elsa whipped her head back to see if it was theirs, but thankfully it was not. However, the pitter-patter of light footsteps were coming close to their position.

"Who's that?" Elsa asked the angel.

The heavenly being smiled at her, her aura of radiant light burning even brighter. "Your saving grace."

She wrapped herself with her wings and started to dissolve into light. But Elsa felt their meeting was still not ready to be adjourned. "Wait! What about the crossroads!"

"I think you already made your choice..."

Elsa was about to probe her for a clearer answer, when suddenly, everything turned white.

When her vision cleared up, she found herself floating again. Floating high in a realm where no mortal can ever dream of reaching. Curtains of green light, aurorae, undulated and danced around her. Elsa was free, free from Death's grasp.

_The sky's awake, so I'm awake_.

* * *

Elsa's focused, azure eyes shot open. The faint miasma of blood still hung in the air, a testament to the excruciating punishment she has endured. The lacerations on her back and the puncture wounds on her wrist and thigh held back their torment however, as if they were blocked by some invisible force.

Light flooded the room as the cell door groaned open, and Elsa averted her head. When her vision adjusted to the light, she turned to see who her visitor was.

"Oh my God..." a male voice gasped.

"Quickly, we have to free her," said another, familiar voice.

She heard a sword unsheathe, and the sound of chains slicing as the blade fell followed. Then there was the sound of a key turning a few locks, and then a warm, gloved hand was on her face.

"Queen Elsa? Are you awake?"

_Sebastian_. The man was the newest member of Arendelle castle's servant corps, but he was the very loyal and loving towards the two sisters.

Lifting her head weakly, Elsa caught sight of the servant and his companion. It was none other than Arnbjorn the Housecarl. There was blood dripping down the length his steel blade, which he then promptly wiped off with his fur cloak.

Elsa felt a piece of fabric gently placed over her, but thankfully her wounds did not cry out in pain. Sebastian was about to carry her out but the blonde whispered faintly. "I thirst..."

Arnbjorn took out his canteen and popped it open, going up to Elsa to give her a drink. The blonde greedily took in the drink, not caring at all that it tasted sour. She was severely dehydrated from blood loss and sweat. Having had nothing to eat or drink since supper the night before, she was painfully thirsty.

It took only a matter of seconds for Elsa to empty the canteen of its contents. Her thirst momentarily alleviated, Sebastian gently placed her over his shoulder, careful to not alleviate her wounds. They exited the cell, and Elsa noticed the dead guard she saw in her near-death experience lying supine on the floor. His head had been severed clean.

They stepped over his body and strode down the stone hallway, their hurried footsteps echoing through the hall. However, this wasn't the direction she had taken with the angel. "Where's... Anna..." she slurred.

Sebastian grunted as he ducked down slightly to avoid having her hit her head on stone archway. The whiff of iron - the scent of her blood- drifted in his nostrils. "She's with Clemenson. They're waiting for us at the sewer."

_Sewer?_

The malodorous stench became stronger, and Elsa felt her head spinning from the revolting smell. They passed few more cell blocks before they made a sharp right. The smell was even stronger here.

Sebastian rapped his gloved knuckles on the door lightly thrice. "Alright, we're here Kai. Open up the gates."

The door creaked open, and Sebastian turned around so Elsa can see the rest of her saviors. She saw Lord Clemenson, unhurt save for the angry bruise on his head. He was tending over the still unconscious Anna, who was draped with a strange greenish coat. Kai and Gerda were unlocking the sewer gates, their eyes bloodshot from intense crying. They were trying their hardest to not get distracted by looking at Elsa, since that would have sent them bawling.

She heard a very familiar voice speak in the adjacent chamber, and her head perked up. "Alright, where's Elsa? I have to give her this coat to prevent infection until I can properly administer to her health."

_Pabbie_.

The old troll walked out, a green coat over his shoulder. Elsa cried in relief, as she looked at the old shaman. However, there was a very bitter expression in his old face. Was he the only one alive?

"Here she is," Sebastian said, carefully walking backwards into the room. He then gently placed Elsa on her feet, cautiously holding her up. Elsa winced slightly, the throbbing pain from her wounds getting agitated.

"Alright, I have to take the covering off so Pabbie can put it on." He shot everyone a warning look. "Look away now if you're squeamish."

Cold, fetid air touched her lacerated back, and Elsa grimaced from the sting. A warm, soothing cloak was gently placed over her, and the pain cooled down. Lethargy washed over her in gentle waves, and her vision started dimming. Whatever the cloak was made of, its effects were slowly subsiding the pain.

The rusted metal gates that lead down to the gullet of the sewer system groan as they part. "We'll stay behind..." Kai pulled out a wicked sharp butcher knife. There were already spots of dried blood on it. "We swear to God no one will catch you."

"I'm staying behind too," Arnbjorn said. The housecarl pulled out his sword and stabbed it in front of him. "You have my word, Queen Elsa."

Lord Clemenson picked up Anna, sniveling softly as he walks down the stairs. Pabbie trudged behind him, holding a torch to light the bleak path. Elsa found herself over Sebastian's shoulder again, and the servant followed them in. Her eyelids were heavy, and she just realized how exhausted she was.

The sound of the sewer gates closing was the last thing she heard before she passed out.


	12. It's Just You And Me

Frozen, why don't you belong to me?

**A/N**: Okay, this chapter is a long and - IMO - kind of fluffy. I know how most of you want Ulfric's bloody head on a pike, but believe me, we'll get there soon! And a big thank you to all for sticking the story!

_**Chapter Twelve: It's Just You And Me**_

Darkness shrouded Elsa's vision as she awoke from a long period of unconsciousness. The whole world spun around her as disorientation struck her, but the sensation slowly passed as her body began catching up to speed. When she realized that she was in a cramped bedroom, her heart suddenly raced as fear creeped along her spine like a demonic arachnid.

_Where am I?_

The room was cramped, crates of unknown material were stacked a few feet from her bed. She was resting on a cot, a warm and comfortable one even though it was simpler than her king-sized one. Opening her eyes slowly, she looked down at her beaten body. Her bloodstained, ragged shirt and pants were replaced by a clean yet simple grey tunic and breeches. A horrifying flash of the cold-blooded scourging she suffered haunted her mind, and a phantom sting pulsed faintly in her back.

_Am I still wounded?_

There was a small hole in her wrist were the crossbow bolt had impaled her, but the stigmata was painless. Oxygen also flowed freely into her chest, her lungs having been cleansed of the blood that had been leaking into them. But what about her back? Her hand trembling in fear, she carefully grazed her back with her fingers, bracing for the brutal stinging that was sure to follow. However, no excruciating pain surprisingly struck her, and she suddenly realized that her brutal lacerations had sealed themselves. _How did I heal so fast? _

She caught sight of something short moving in her peripheral vision. Whipping her head at the source, she saw the shaman, Pabbie slowly enter her room. His lips were pursed, and she noted the troll's eyes were filled with but one emotion: grief.

Elsa was about to blurt out an apology for him, but he shot her a look that told her to save the apologies for later. He had more important things to discuss. The troll trudged up to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked her, his voice calm and collected.

"H-how did I heal so quickly?" From the brutality of the flagellation she was given, Elsa expected to have been out of commission for more than three months.

"I used my magic to heal you," he said simply. "Your cuts from your scourging were very serious, although I did all I could to minimalize the scars." Pain abruptly ghosted over his face, and his lips twisted as if he ate something sour. "Unfortunately, the mental damage from this _cannot_ be undone, for this involves physical pain, not magic."

The old troll had saved their lives multiple times already but was never properly repayed. Not that Pabbie didn't care for payment, but it just felt uneasy to not give him a proper payment. The problem is that Elsa didn't know how and Pabbie had just lost his kingdom like she did.

It was a miracle he even considered helping them again.

Offering her condolences was the best Elsa could offer. "Pabbie, I-I'm sorry for everything that happened... About your family and the everything..."

Pabbie's expression softened. "There were six survivors of the attack, Bulda's one of them." He choked up momentarily, grief threatening to rend him. "The rest went back home to the stars..."

"Where are the survivors now?"

His expression turned distant. "Hiding far away from here." Elsa kept silent, slowly processing his words. His expression steeled. "But now, you have my utmost importance. You've been gravely wounded by that _monster, _and it's my job to make sure you recover."

The memories of her flogging were painfully vivid, forever scarred into her mind as much as it was on her body: every single stinging lash of the scourge, every degrading insult hurled at her, and every labored breath she gasped as her lungs slowly filled with blood. She felt her hands shaking violently, and tears begin dripping down her cheeks as she relived the hellish experience.

She was not prepared at all for the haunting pain that her guardian angel had warned her about. That's when the most appalling moments of their time in the dungeon raised its head, catching her unprepared. A mental scream - Anna's scream - tore through her mind like a hurricane. Visions of Ulfric violating her sister played repeatedly in her head, reminding her of her failure to uphold her oath to protect her sister.

She started sobbing forlornly, tears streaking down her dirt-slick cheeks. The tears solidified into little beads of ice, falling from her face and melting on the bed.

Pabbie carefully seized her trembling hand to comfort her. "Elsa, snap out of it. It's just a vision! You're safe now," he said stiffly. She focused on his voice, using it as an anchor.

The troll's hand reassured her that she was okay, no longer in the malicious clutches of her demonic captor. Clarity slowly returned to her, clearing her mind of the brutal images and the panic attack ceased, freeing her from terror. She sighed softly, mouthing a thank you to the troll before speaking.

"Pabbie, can you tell me where are we and..." She choked slightly as she thought of her sister. " And where is Anna?"

An uneasy expression twisted Pabbie's grey face. Whatever he was going to say to her, he knew she wouldn't like it. "We're in - "

Kristoff abruptly stepped through the door, a cold, steely expression on his hardened face. From the looks of it, he had been eavesdropping on their little conversation. The ice harvester's eyes were heavily bloodshot, and Elsa came to wonder how hard the man had been sobbing. She was about to question him but he spoke up to interrupt her.

"If you're going to thank me why I took you in my house in the first place, don't bother." His voice was cold, but the hoarseness in him confirmed her hypothesis. "I did this out of love for my country..."

Elsa saw through his ruse. Kristoff was keeping a few more words to himself, but he dared not to say them for now. Nevertheless, the blonde had never expected the man to take them in, after Anna had followed her heart and broke up with him. She did not know whether to apologize or - despite his earlier warning - thank him. Deciding that speaking to him might only lead to unwanted trouble, Elsa kept her mouth shut and swung her legs over the bed. She had to check on Anna now!

"What are you doing?" her two caretakers asked in unison. Elsa stood up to her full height. Her muscles ached, but she withstood the dull pain. She'd suffered _much_ worse to complain about soreness.

"Anna..." She winced as she puts her weight on the leg that had been shot with a crossbow, a phantom pain lightly pulsing in the limb. "Get me to her. I _need_ to see her!"

Kristoff slants away from the door for her, uneasiness in his face as he watched her silently trudge passed him, making her way to the living quarters. Sebastian was playing a game of solitaire on the dining table while Lord Clemenson was sitting on a stool, hunched over taking a nap. The servant jerks his head up from his game, and his eyes widen.

Sebastian stood up from the table, messing up his playing cards and disturbing the General from his sleep as he rushed over to her to try and help her. The servant had been always helpful and close to the sisters ever since he was hired, but he's even more caring for them now. "Madame Elsa, be carefu-"

She looks at him straight in his worrisome eyes. "Take me to Anna. _Now_."

"She's through here, my queen," Sebastian said gently, gesturing to a small, dark room nearby. Elsa approached the doorway, taking a deep breath before opening the closed door. Sebastian closed the door behind her to give her some much-needed privacy.

Tears streamed down Elsa's cheeks, freezing into ice as she looked at the broken form of her sister. The redhead was lying supine on a small cot, wrapped tightly in a fur blanket from the stomach down. Anna wore a simple brown tunic, her chest gently rising and falling as she slept. Although Anna's skin was still dirty from their time in the dungeon, the angry bruises and bite marks that Ulfric inflicted on her were gone, no doubt healed by Pabbie's magic. But Anna would never, _ever_ fully recover from the mental damage she had suffered.

And it's _all_ Elsa's fault.

Elsa rushed over to the bed, crouching beside it, and gently pushed her sister's hair back from her grime-covered face. Anna looked so weak and fragile, that Elsa was afraid she might break her if she wasn't careful. She lightly grazed Anna's face with her cold fingers. Abruptly, the redhead's teal eyes suddenly shot open, disturbed by her touch. There was only one look on her face: unadulterated panic.

The shriek that followed brought back dark memories from the dungeon.

"Get away from me!" Anna screamed madly, roughly pushing her sister away. Elsa grunted as she fell back on her rump, taken by surprise.

The door slammed open, and their rescuers rushed in all at once, almost tripping over each other as they jammed the small entrance. "What's going on?!" they all cried out in unison.

Anna panicked even further, snatching her pillow and readying it for a fight. Her eyes were wide in fear, and Elsa could even hear her heart beating madly in her chest. Elsa had no choice but to back up and give her sister space.

_That son of a bitch will pay for this_.

"Anna, it's okay, we're safe," Elsa said soothingly. She tried to rein her anger towards Ulfric in so her voice was as calm as possible. "Anna we're safe now. We're no longer in the dungeon..."

Still under the influence of her panic attack, Anna refused to lower her pillow. Elsa approached her carefully, pain wrenching her heart as she watched her sister fall into the depths of her despair.

Locking eyes with the spooked redhead, she made one heartfelt attempt to communicate with her. "It's me... Elsa."

Hearing her sister's name wrenched the redhead out of her panic attack. Her grip on the pillow loosened, and it fell to the ground. Anna collapsed on her knees shortly afterwards and began to sob hopelessly into her hands.

Elsa immediately bolted forwards the fallen girl, kneeling down and wrapping her arms around Anna, before pulling her to her chest. The fabric she wore became drenched as the girl's tears fell from her face. "I'm here Anna, don't worry... I'm here..." She heard the door close again behind them, but she had a feeling they were being eavesdropped on.

Her sister's sobs were utterly _heartbreaking. _She had only seen Ulfric violate her sister for a few minutes before passing out from agonizing pain, but she couldn't help but wonder what had happened while she was knocked out. _How long did Ulfric rape her? Did any of his men join in as well_? Thinking about it only served to fuel the blonde's fury.

A string of curses escapes the blonde's lips. "_Damn that bastard Ulfric_..." she cursed the Crown Prince's name, her words like hot venom in her tongue. _Hate_ does not even describe what she feels for him. By first dehumanizing her by scourging her and then daring to rape Anna right in _front_ of her... the ire she bore towards him burned hotter than the fires of Hell. Elsa tightened her grip around Anna, burying her face in the younger's hair as she took deep breaths.

Minutes passed before the girl's fervent crying subsided to small sniffles. She turned her face up to look at her sister, teal eyes bloodshot and looking lost and unsure. "I... I'm not pure anymore, Elsa..." Anna cried softly.

Shocked by her words, Elsa pushed the redhead away from her chest to confront her. Elsa still held the vision that her sister was innocent and pure, no matter how many sexual escapades she takes her on. "Anna, don't say that! You're pure! You'll always be pure!" Elsa reassured her.

But even Elsa doubted her own words.

Anna shook her head vigorously. "H-He _violated_ me," she whimpered, "Told me I was a whore... A disgusting, abhorrent -"

Not bearing to hear her sister degrade herself, Elsa snapped at her. "_Stop it_!" The redhead hung her head low, sniveling. The blonde had to convince her that she was still pure. "Anna, don't listen to his words! That's what he wants you to think about yourself. He wants you to think you're below him." She embraced her tightly. "But the only opinion that should matter to you is mine... And I'll _never_ think of you like that."

The younger girl kept silent, but she returned the embrace. "Thank you... Elsa..."

Their embrace lasted for a couple minutes before the sound of Anna's stomach growling broke the silence. It had been more than a day since they last ate. "Are you hungry, Anna? Do you want me to get you something?"

Anna shook her head however. "Not yet. I-I want to take a bath first... We need to get this dirt off of us."

Both girls have not taken a proper bath, their skin marred by the grime they gathered spent in the dungeon. Elsa helped her sister up, utilizing the blanket on the bed as a cloak for her sister. She then pulled her in close to her. "Alright then." She knocked at the door to get their caretaker's attention. "Guys? Is there a spring nearby? We need a bath..."

"There's one over a ridge not far from here, to the North" Sebastian called from behind the door. "It's hidden in an alcove so don't worry about any Peeping Toms."

Opening the door, Elsa led her sister out the little room. Although he was nowhere to be found, Anna's eyes widen when she recognized the living quarters. "We're in Kristoff's house?"

"He took us in..." Elsa muttered simply, not caring to elaborate further. She glanced at her sister, half-expecting her to start sobbing again. Anna pursed her lips, looking down at the ground in... was that shame? She could tell the redhead wanted to apologize to him but now was not the right time.

Sebastian and Lord Clemenson cocked their heads to the two as they passed by, but they did not say anything about the blonde's display of affection. They returned to their game of cards, carefully minding their own business as the Queen and the Princess left the lodge.

The two sisters kept silent as they walked outside, following a gravel trail as they headed to the ridge a few hundred feet away from the lodge. A grim overcast above oppressed the mountainous lands, as if mimicking the current state of affairs. From the lighting that was available, it appears they had awoken during the early stages of twilight. When they passed the ridge, the trail continued forth until it led to a large alcove. The spring Sebastian had mentioned was tucked away.

Elsa nudged Anna forth. "Come on..."

The soft sound of the spring waters churning was calming to Elsa, reminding her of the royal baths in the castle. _When will I see them again_?

She took the blanket off of Anna, but the warm spring air around the spring kept her warm. The redhead was wearing trousers as well, but it was painfully obvious that they had once belonged to Kristoff; the rope belt wrapped around her had to be tightened multiple times to keep the trousers from sagging.

Elsa gently grabbed the hem of Anna's tunic. She tensed slightly, another panic attack threatening to rip through her. "Don't be afraid Anna. It's just you and me..." she whispered soothingly as she stripped the girl.

The redhead thankfully calmed down, allowing the blonde to take off her clothes. Other than the dried blood blemishing the inside of her thighs, the bruises that were inflicted on her body no longer marred her fair skin. Elsa hiked her breeches up further and led Anna into the warm pool. "Step in the spring Anna. I'll follow you in."

Anna stood in place, looking at her own reflection in the warm waters. A numbness spreads through her body as she gazed at the empty reflection of herself, and she detached from her body for a brief moment. The horrific memory of seeing her sister, limp against the bloody pillar after being brutally scourged, returned to her. The frailness in Elsa's voice as she -

A cool hand touching her shoulder brought her back to reality. The princess glanced at her sister, the blonde having stripped herself of her own clothes. "Anna, are you okay?"

The front of Elsa's nude body was fairly unhurt, but there were some dark stripes running down the side of her ribs, sharply contrasting with her porcelain skin. These scars were only the faint edges of larger ones in her back however. Anna reached out towards one of the dark markings, but pulled her fingers back just before she can touch the scar. "Does it hurt?"

Elsa stroked the younger girl's cheek with her fingers, whispering softly to her sister. "No it doesn't hurt, but Anna, don't worry about me. It's my job to worry about it, not yours." She pulled her into a soft kiss, her hand on her cheek.

Her sister's soothing voice reassured her... for now.

Taking Anna's hands in her own, Elsa carefully led her deeper into the spring until the warm water went up to their chests. Elsa squeezed her hand gently, giving her a soft smile. "We're going to take a plunge into the water, okay?"

Holding their breaths, the two lower themselves in the water, staying under water for a ten seconds before surfacing. Their hair stuck to their faces, and the grime that tarnished their skin had mostly disappeared due to the heat. They then walked back to shallower waters, careful to not slip on the rocks, until the water had just reached their knees.

Albeit faint, the bloodstains still marred the redhead's legs. Elsa fashioned a sponge of ice, intent on scrubbing the stain away. "Anna, I'm going to clean your legs now, okay? Remember, it's just me. I'm not going to hurt you..."

Dipping the ice sponge into the warm water, Elsa grazed the redhead's skin with the sponge. Anna winced from the touch, and terror crept up to haunt her. Sensing her dread, Elsa eased up on the scrubbing, placating her with soothing words before resuming cleaning her. Light red water dripped slowly down the redhead's thighs, and Elsa rinsed them off.

"Don't you ever think you're not pure anymore, okay? Because you're always going to be pure to me." Elsa pressed their lips together briefly again, softer this time. Breaking the kiss, she gave Anna a watery smile. "Now go put your clothes on. I'll wash myself a few more times before joining you."

After Elsa handed her a towel she conjured herself, Anna did as she was told, getting out of the spring. However, as the redhead watched the blonde rinse herself, she caught sight of the scars on her back when Elsa briefly turned around. It lasted only a few moments, but the image of Elsa's scars were branded into her fragile mind.

The younger girl was taken aback by the severity of the scarring. "Oh my God..."

A crude, dark cruciform scar ghastly disfigured her pale skin, running down from the bottom of the nape of her neck to the small of her back, and stretched from shoulder to shoulder. Multiple slanted slashes of dark scars decorated the sides of the macabre cross, making a sort of gruesome mockery of a halo.

Elsa finally finished cleansing herself. She turned around to look at Anna and found the girl still naked, gawking at her. "What is it?"

"Y-your back it-it's sc-" The redhead's voice devolved into tears. Emotion got the better of her, and she ran up to the blonde, embracing her tightly and burying her face into Elsa's chest.

The older girl placed her hand under her chin and pulled the redhead's up to face her. She knew the scars were horrid but from Anna's reaction to them, they were worse than she thought. Nevertheless, the blonde tried to assure her that it was okay, even though it was far from it. "Anna, please! I told you to not worry about me."

"But -"

Suddenly, Elsa was kissing her desperately, one hand tangled in her hair, the other around her neck, pulling her up. Anna stiffened for a few moments before she melted into the kiss. Elsa felt the girl's hot tears against her cheeks as she slipped her arms around Anna. They kissed for countless minutes, not getting enough of each other's touch.

They pulled out of the kiss for much needed air, a thin line of saliva connecting their lips. Before Anna could pull her in for more, Elsa confronted her. "Anna, you have to stop worrying about me. I'm not going to let you get yourself hurt because of your fretting. All of this is my fault, and so, it's my job to fix it."

The redhead shook her head in disagreement. "We're in this together Elsa... It's just you and me."

Sighing in exasperation, Elsa rested her head against Anna's. The redhead had always placed her needs before her own. _But that's what made her an angel, her love and purity_. She'd saved her life in one form or another twice already; once when Hans tried to take her head, and back in the dungeon, where her love for the redhead gave her the strength to overcome Death.

Their stomachs growled again, interrupting the moment. With a soft sigh, Elsa quickly pulled the redhead out of the spring, quickly drying herself and putting on the borrowed clothes. She then helped Anna with her own clothes, tossing the fur blanket over her to keep her warm. They braided their hair afterwards, helping each other when needed.

Although Elsa still had a lot to tell Anna about, like how she saw her as her guardian angel during her whipping and in her near-death experience. But that had to wait for now. It's been quite some time since their last supper.

* * *

The streets of Arendelle was littered with the shattered belongings of her citizens as the Crown Prince's thugs systematically scoured every building and alleyway. Ulfric himself was stalking the grim streets, dragging a fiery claymore behind him. The people of this street were all lined up firing squad style by a few soldiers while a squad of their comrades cleansed their homes.

"Where are you hiding her?!" he barked at the cowering civilians. At the strike of noon, he went down to the dungeon to give Elsa her own personal dose of Hell, but the only thing he found was a dead guard and an empty cell.

"I swear to God she's not here!" a man screamed in terror as the Prince yanked him by his throat. Ulfric glared at the man's home, waiting for a response. His thugs come out, shaking their heads.

Frustration got the better of the Prince, and he tosses the unfortunate man to the stone street. A sickening crack was heard as he hits the hard cobblestone. Blood seeped out his head, staining the rocks vermillion.

"Papa!" a little boy barely the age of ten cried out. He tried to run up to his unconscious father, but his mother forcefully yanked him back, fearful of the Prince's brutal reprisal. "I _hate_ you! I _hate_ you!"

Ulfric smirked at his soldiers. "Teach him a lesson in _proper_ manners, will you?" Ulfric strode off, a sadistic smile cracking in his lips as the screams of the child echoed in the streets.

Arnbjorn reluctantly watched carnage with a heavy-heart. The "searches" had devolving into bloody raids, and broken bodies started littering the streets. Blood-thirsty soldiers were brutalizing the populace, delivering vicious beatings to anyone they see fit. As much as the housecarl loathes not being able to help, he had to abide his time, for the chances of successfully deserting his post were slim for now.

The housecarl gave the Prince a wide berth. His distaste towards Ulfric had turned to loathing ever since he forced that night in the dungeon. This man was sadistically _mad _and he indulges in itwhenever possible. The Prince began barking orders at his thugs, his booming voice drowning out the screams of the citizens. "Search every house! No one departs Arendelle until I find her!" Ulfric suddenly turned to the housecarl, giving him a cruel sneer.

"At least until our flotilla arrives. Then they have two days to find the Queen. Otherwise, the _Fafnir's _cannons will obliterate this godforsaken kingdom from the map." With a grim chuckle, the Crown Prince left the housecarl to join a troop of his thugs in a grisly home invasion.

Arnbjorn choked in fear as he stared blankly at the fjord. The galleons patrolling the fjord were no doubt powerful and could lay waste to the city of Arendelle under an hour, but Ulfric had been holding them back for guard duty. The flotilla and the galleons combined will do the same job within ten minutes, maybe even less. And they were due to arrive in a few days.

His window for escape had to come soon, or the whole city will soon become a funeral pyre.

* * *

Supper was silent, the two girls quietly keeping to themselves in the corner. The food that was served tonight was rather plain, but after not eating for twenty-four hours, it tasted divine. One time Sebastian had tried to initiate smalltalk to lighten the mood, but it all ended when Kristoff walked back home. The palpable awkwardness between the two sisters and the ice harvester ruined the little conversation Sebastian was trying to keep afloat. Kristoff skipped supper and sat on his wooden couch, his back towards them as he stared into the fireplace.

Anna looked down dejectedly at her empty second bowl of soup. It was surprising that he had taken them in after what he went through. Kristoff had been hit with two tragedies within a span of three weeks. First, he had his heart broken, then the trolls, his only family, was murdered by Ulfric. Although she doesn't love him romantically anymore, the redhead still cared for the mountain man deeply. He was one of the few men she still fully trusts.

Sighing, she leaned towards Elsa to whisper in her ear, keeping her voice low so the others won't hear her. "Elsa? Would you mind if I talk to Kristoff? I have to apologize to him... "

Elsa bit her lip. Anna had told her about Kristoff's reaction, and how heartbroken he was when she broke up with him. "If you want to." She stole a glance towards Kristoff's direction to make sure he didn't hear her. "But be careful of what you say to him. We don't want to be kicked out."

Sighing lightly, the redhead stood up and walked over to the brooding mountain man. "Kristoff?

Kristoff kept silent for five seconds before speaking up. "What is it?" His tone was wary but not cold, unlike earlier.

Anna fidgeted with her hands. "Can we talk privately?"

Another moment of silence. "Fine." The coldness in his voice softened slightly, but it was audible enough for Elsa to tell there was a difference. She watched as the Kristoff stood up and followed Anna to her bedroom, knowing the two would hush their voices until they were barely discernable.

Elsa finished her meal alone, stacking the wooden bowls when she was finished and placing it in the little sink. She washed them quickly before joining Sebastian and Lord Clemenson. The two men were deeply enthralled with a game of improvised chess they were playing to pass the time.

"I hate to interrupt you two, but do you know where's Pabbie?" she asked them.

"Meditating somewhere outside. Although, he said he didn't want to be disturbed." Sebastian muttered, not taking his eyes off the board. He cursed under his breath when the General moved his bishop a few squares.

Elsa sighed, sitting down on the couch Kristoff had sat in to take a rest. She watched the game play out with glassy eyes, her mind wandering aimlessly for an unknown amount of time. A part of her wanted to eavesdrop on whatever Anna and Kristoff were talking about, but with how hushed the two were, she had to barge in to even listen. Her own curiosity would be the one that gets them kicked out then. The whole lodge was silent except for the sound of the crackling fire burning in the hearth.

_Fire_.

The blonde's eyes shot towards the flames in the hearth. _Your ice is no match for my fire, _Ulfric had said to her during her scourging. A small part of her believed in his words. That bastard Prince had control over fire, and from the looks of it, is a veteran of his powers. Elsa never really had practice to control her powers until recently. For thirteen _years_ she had to practice concealing her cryokinesis, while Ulfric was probably blasting fireballs since birth.

She questioned her ability to defeat him in straight combat.

"Dammit!"

Sebastian slammed the chessboard, having been soundly defeated by the General. His display of rage interrupted Elsa's train of thought, pulling her out of her musings.

"You still got a lot to learn young one," Clemenson chuckled, resting his hands on the back of his head in triumph.

Sebastian shook his fist at him. "I'll beat you one day!" With that, the two resumed another game of chess.

Rolling her eyes, Elsa went back to reconsider her tactics against Ulfric. The more she thought about it, the more hopeless their situation became. She did not get far into her thoughts and plans however, since the opening of Anna's door interrupted the blonde.

The two had rather stoic expressions, keeping silent as they went different directions. There was an almost palpable aura of relief coming from the two, as if a great, invisible splinter has been removed from them.

Anna sat by Elsa, resting her head against the blonde's shoulder. "Elsa? Do you mind if we sleep together?" The blonde's azure eyes widen, her sister's unintended double entendre painfully obvious. _Do the others know about us? _Sebastian and Clemenson were too entranced in their chess game to seem to have heard her, and she knew Kristoff knew.

"Why? Are you tired already?" The redhead cuddled up to her adoringly, burying her face into her chest. "Alright fine. Though, don't expect to be comfortable since the bed's tiny."

Picking her up bridal-style, the blonde trudged off back to her room. She placed Anna down on the bed, then she locked the door and joined her sister on the bed. Surprisingly there was enough space for Elsa to spoon her, albeit the comfort levels would be questionable to say the least.

So, the two girls settled with Anna lying on top of Elsa, cuddling up to her while the blonde cradled her head towards her chest. The only sound in the room were their soft breathing.

Curiosity got the better of the blonde as she wondered about what her sister and Kristoff talked about. Though it was invading the redhead's personal privacy, she couldn't help but wonder what they said. "Anna? What did you and Kristoff talk about?"

Anna didn't respond for a few moments, faintly stiffening in the older girl's arms . _Did I push it_? "I told him I was sorry about everything that happened to him. And we agreed we'll still be friends however." There was a guarded tone in the redhead's voice.

Elsa was not sure whether to push further into the topic or leave it be. The redhead's reluctance to elaborate convinced her to not delve further. She decided to change the topic before Anna and her get into an argument. "Anna, can I tell you something?"

"Yeah?"

The vision of her guardian angel appeared briefly in her mind. "I saw you last night in a vision."

Anna looked up at her, tilting her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I almost died after I passed out... from the whipping," she paused briefly, checking to make sure her sister wasn't going to have a panic attack before continuing. "I thought I _was_ dead, but then you saved me..."

When her sister didn't say anything, the blonde sighed, thinking that Anna thought she was going crazy. "N-nevermind, you're right it's cra-"

Anna shook her head quickly. "No, keep going. I'm interested."

Encouraged, Elsa resumed her story. "You pulled me out of the Darkness and into this alien garden." The lifelike sensations she felt in the garden still haunted the blonde. "When I saw you, you were dressed in all white and had wings like an angel. I knew that wasn't you, but she sounded, looked, and even _smiled_ like you."

A soft smile appeared on the redhead's lips as she imagined what her sister saw. "So what did you and angel-me talk about then?"

"That I should consider the future before I give in to Death."

The savage, dehumanizing scourging she suffered had left her hanging on a thread. She had been intimately close to Death at that point, it was a miracle she had even recovered. But the visions in the looking glass had implied to her that Fate was going to be on her side, that there's hope for the future.

"What did the future say then?"

The prophecies the angel showed her in the looking glass replayed in her head. "I saw myself standing over Arendelle, a storm raging around me as I looked over the city. Then, I saw Ulfric and I fighting to the death... Then..." Elsa paused briefly as the last images played in her head. It was a fleeting moment, one that she could have only dreamed off.

"Then what?"

Elsa's voice was distant, dreamlike almost. "I saw us together wearing _beautiful_ white dresses... And there was a man with a book standing in front of us reciting something..." Her voice trailed off, the fading image of the wedding dying with her voice.

"W-wait, are you saying that we're going to get _married_?"

Her answer was Elsa's soft sobbing. "Why are you crying? Isn't that a good thing?"

"It is," the blonde whimpered, "But it's such a far off dream Anna, don't you see? We have so many things in our way before we reach that point..."

Anna suddenly kissed her, taking Elsa by surprise. The blonde had supported her and given her hope earlier, now it was her turn to do return the gesture. Her warm lips cooled the blonde's anxiety. "Elsa, you said you'll fix this mess, right? So use that dream as your drive! We'll get through this and then that dream will come true."

Elsa kept quiet, nodding her head softly to silence the redhead_. Still naïve as ever_. Nonetheless, the blonde did not dare burst Anna's frail bubble of hope, even though her own bubble of hope was just as frail.

Maybe even weaker.


	13. Agony In The Garden

Can I say something crazy? I don't own Frozen!

**A/N:** I just want to say thank you all for the faves, follows and reviews! I would love to give you guys a warm hug because I like them and so should you! Oh screw it, here! *gives a warm hug*

Anyways, the big epic battle scene will arrive very soon! Just stick with me here and we'll get that bastard Ulfric!

_**Chapter Thirteen: Agony In The Garden**_

The dark, littered streets of the city of Arendelle were haunting at dawn. Citizens that survived the purge huddled in the ghostly shells of their home, too terrified to bring in their belongings in fear of retribution by Ulfric's thugs. Those that did wander out to try and escape the city were risking their limbs in a hopeless attempt for freedom. However, they had no chance in escaping without knowing where to go.

Arnbjorn spied on the patrol of guards marching down the cold, empty cobblestone street. Unlike the unfortunate citizens, he knew the path these thugs take during their nightly patrol sessions. The problem was making sure no one follows him. More than thrice he was almost caught by some poor folks and almost had his cover blown.

As much as he yearns to help the poor citizens, he knows their lives depended on the success of his desertion. His window for escape had come when Ulfric had went to bed unusually earlier than expected, but he seized the chance anyways. The flotilla could arrive anytime now, and the countdown for the execution of Arendelle would start.

The dumb thugs rounded a corner, disappearing into the next street. Seeing his chance, the housecarl sprinted hard down the street, careful to not trip over broken furniture in the dark. He was about to make it to one of the hidden exits when he suddenly tripped over something hard. Arnbjorn fell face-first into the cobblestone, splitting the top of his head open. Warm streams of blood slowly dripped down his face as he pushed off the ground. Blinking hard to remove the liquid in his eyes, he turned around to see what had tripped him.

It was the blanketed corpse of a young boy. He felt his heart crawl up his throat, but he swallowed his disgust and shock. _Damn that bastard Ulfric_. He covered the cadaver's face with another blanket before sprinting down a nearby alleyway. It was a dead end, but housecarl jumped as high as he can, barely catching the top of the stone wall with his hand.

Grunting in the tremendous effort, Arnbjorn hauled himself up the wall, scaling it despite the pain. Adrenaline pumped madly in his veins, aiding in his effort. After finally heaving himself over the wall, the housecarl dropped to the ground. But he can't stop there. Getting on his feet, he made a mad dash north, praying to God the servants had given him the right information.

Elsa's return depended on it.

* * *

While thephysical wounds have been healed for the two girls, the mental damage involved was a painfully slow and grueling process of healing for the two girls. The last two nights have been especially cruel to them.

Sleep evaded the two sisters like a ghost, even though they were with each other. Both of them suffered horrifying nightmares, with Anna often awakening in the middle of the night with a piercing shriek. The poor girl's nightmares were also the most vivid, the dreadful visions of her time with Ulfric the most common night terror. On the other hand, Elsa's own blood-curdling nightmares manifested as her vicious scourging or worse, watching Anna helplessly violated by the demon Prince.

The realm of sleep - what's supposed to be an escape from their earthly problems - became a Hell itself.

Anna had the most trouble coping with the nightmarish mental hell. The younger girl had bouts of screaming and begging, for Elsa to save her. Disturbed from her own restless sleep, the blonde could only embrace the redhead, holding her to her chest and placating her with soft words that the nightmare they had experienced had past. Elsa awaited for the redhead to sob herself to sleep so she can catch up on rest as well, only to be either awoken by her own nightmares or Anna's screaming an hour later.

It was moments like this that made Elsa wish that Death had taken her.

The blonde's bloodshot eyes shot open, disturbed from her light sleep by the sound of her sister shrieking and struggling in her arms. Springing into action, the queen embraced her, attempting to wrench her from her nightmare's clutches. "Anna, Anna wake up! It's only a dream, you're safe!"

Anna held her older sister tightly, sobbing incoherently into her chest.

"Shhhh, I'm here Anna, you're safe with me..."

It lasted only a few minutes, but it felt like an agonizing eternity before the redhead returned to reality. Elsa planted soft kisses into her sister's head, assuring her that she was there for her.

"Oh God... Elsa, it was so horrifying..." Anna rasped, her voice dry and hurting from crying.

"I'm here Anna, shhh..."

Elsa cradled her closer, tears streaming down her own eyes. The words that her guardian angel had said to her - that Fate was now on her side - started to sound more like a cleverly crafted lie than words of inspiration. The only time that Fate had been on their side was when they were rescued from Ulfric, but since then it seemed as if Fate had abandoned them once more.

She wallowed in her silent misery, but not daring to show Anna her weakness. The younger girl slowly stopped crying, finally falling asleep on the blonde's chest. Resting her head against the pillow, Elsa closed her eyes, slowly drifting off into light sleep to await the next moment Anna awoke in fear.

_Here we go again..._

She had only been asleep for thirty minutes when the door to their quarters opened abruptly, waking the blonde from her light sleep. "What is it?!" Elsa groaned, heavily irritated from the lack of restful sleep.

Sebastian was standing under the doorway. "Ma'am? Kristoff had captured someone near the woods. He said he's a friend but we're waiting for your judgment on what to do with him."

Groaning, the blonde gently shook her sister awake to get her off of her. The redhead awoke with a start, but thankfully she did not scream. "What's going on?"

Elsa gently helped her up, ignoring the skull-splitting headache tormenting her. The blonde's face grimaced in agony, but she fought through the pain. "There's someone who wants to meet us."

After helping Anna off the bed, Elsa gently cradled her sister to her, following Sebastian's lead. Kristoff, Lord Clemenson, and Pabbie were already awaiting for them in the Living Quarters, with the person Sebastian talking about bound to a chair.

Kristoff acknowledged her with a nod. "I found him wandering outside twenty minutes ago muttering your name. I don't know if he was one of Ulfric's men or a civilian so I ambushed him and tied him up."

Elsa's eyes widen when she recognized the prisoner.

_Arnbjorn_?

Although the housecarl was the one who had to administer her flogging, Arnbjorn gave a heartfelt apology afterwards, begging on his knees for forgiveness of his unwanted sin. She had promised him that she'll remember him when she takes back her kingdom. He was also the one that destroyed her chains so Sebastian could free her.

"Queen Elsa! Thank God you're alive! List-" A death glare from Kristoff silenced him.

The blonde raised her hand to stop him. "This man is a friend of ours, Kristoff. Let him speak."

She took a seat across from the housecarl, with Anna sitting on her lap. Elsa nodded her head, giving him permission to continue whatever he had to say to her. There was a look of urgency in his blood-streaked face, and she deduced that the youth had fled from the city a few hours ago.

"Thank you Queen Elsa for letting me speak, but I have horrible news to tell you. There's a flotilla sailing towards Arendelle right now. Ulfric had called for them to demolish the city if you don't return in two days."

All of the others gasped quietly in shock, but Elsa kept silent. "How many ships?"

A shadow of fear passed over the housecarl's face. "Six. Two frigates, a cruiser, and three brigs. And to top that off, Ulfric already has two galleons and a brig he had captured patrolling the fjord."

"That's nine ships total," Elsa said, her voice harsh from no rest. The headache already plaguing her burned even stronger as she fathomed the image of the flotilla in the fjord.

_Arendelle doesn't stand a chance_.

_I don't stand a chance_.

The blonde had been plotting during the afternoon with Lord Clemenson over the past two days on how they were going to retake Arendelle. So far, nothing useful had come out of their - she hates to admit it - hopeless scheming.

"Nine ships..." Clemenson's face turned beet red in anger. "What do they have against us?! We never did anything to them!"

Arnbjorn gazed forlornly at the fireplace, black shadows dancing across his face. "My former master is _mad_. He takes pleasure in hellish tortures and deaths, and he's more than happy to demolish a city for the hell of it..."

Sebastian recoiled in horror at his rather accurate description of Ulfric. "He's a _devil_!"

Elsa cradled the now sleeping redhead against her, gently brushing aside a tuft of hair out of her freckled face. She then looked at Arnbjorn. "How much men does Ulfric have stationed in Arendelle right now?"

"One hundred twenty, not counting the crew of the ships." Another wave of pain twisted his face. "But that's more than enough to brutalize the citizens of your kingdom."

Anger flared in the Queen. "What?" she hissed. No one hurts the people of her kingdom without expecting retribution.

The housecarl nodded sadly. "They fear the Prince, for he has command over hellfire. The citizens no doubt would have risen up already if he was a regular mortal..." Arnbjorn drifted off, pain twisting his lips.

Uneasiness oppressed the living room, silencing almost everyone. Fury boiled inside Elsa as she glared into the fireplace quietly. Ulfric has a large platoon's worth of soldiers with him and a flotilla of warships to back him up as well. Furthermore, the bastard himself burns with the powers of the fires of hell.

_What can I do_?

All Elsa has with her are her powers over ice and a few followers. Unlike Ulfric, she received little practice over commanding her cryokinesis. And the practice she _did_ receive involves suppressing them. Elsa's realization ripped her fragile resolve to reclaim her throne in half. The hopelessness of their situation was so pathetic it was laughable.

Elsa started giggling, an uncanny noise that sent a disturbed everyone around her. They all gawked at her, distraught by her eerie laughter. Even Anna awoke, unsettled by the blonde's chuckling. "Elsa, what are you laughing at?" she asked sleepily.

"Don't you see how _fucking_ hopeless we are?" Everyone was taken aback by her choice in words. "We'll get killed before we reach the outskirts if we try to retake Arendelle..."

An awkward stillness followed before Kristoff snapped at her. "Don't say that! I did not push aside my broken heart to hear you give up!"

The others followed Kristoff's example, attempting to support Elsa. "We can't give up now! Queen Elsa, the lives of your kingdom are at stake! They need you now more than ever!" Lord Clemenson said.

"The people want you back Elsa," Arnbjorn soothed, "I could see it in their eyes. They _pray_ every night that you return to save them."

Their words filled Elsa with hope, giving her the strength to reconsider. But it wasn't enough to convince her. "It's all for nothing..." she muttered helplessly. "Don't you see? We're going against an enemy that knows what they're doing."

Her sister's voice shook her out of her self-deprecating. "Please don't give up Elsa, please don't let him win..." Anna embraced her tightly, almost choking the blonde from the force. "You said you'll fix this mess."

Anna's words pulled her back to reality. She blinked hard, her faith in herself starting to rekindle. The redhead had always believed in her, no matter how dark their situation was. She returned the embrace, burying her face in Anna's neck. She had revived that faint light of hope in the restless ocean of misery in her.

_But how long will it last?_

"I'll see what I can do..." Elsa cried, her eyes watery. She pulled out the hug, giving her a faint smile.

Abruptly, Anna pulled her into a deep kiss. Elsa's eyes widen, and she glanced quickly at their companions. None of them objected to their display of affection, no disgust or shock in their faces, even from Kristoff. In fact, Sebastian was even smiling at them. Anna pulled out the kiss after a few moments. Despite the dark shadows under her eyes, the redhead was still as beautiful as always. A burning blush coloured the blonde's cheeks.

"Well, uhh, as I was saying, I'll see what I can do." She sighed and gently moves Anna out of her lap so she can stand up. There was a trace of steely determination in her azure eyes. "Lord Clemenson, get the map of Arendelle. We got battle plans to discuss."

* * *

The scaffoldings of a coup started taking shape as the war meeting progressed. Arnbjorn, with his crucial information regarding the routes of the guards, helped develop the plan. Everyone gave suggestions on how to progress, even Anna. For a time, it seemed all was going well and the plan was going to be successful. Even the fading light of hope within Elsa grew stronger.

Until they considered the numbers they faced.

Like a worn-out tree branch, the schematics of the coup fell apart. All the hope Elsa had for retaking Arendelle was extinguished to a single dying ember once more.

"Dammit!" Kristoff hissed. "We need an army to do this right!"

"Whatever remains of them are dead..." Arnbjorn said, referring to the Purge of the Guard.

Clemenson twirled his bushy mustache. "Hmm..." His eyes suddenly widen. "Of course, why didn't I think of it before? Elsa, do you think you can conjure an army of ice golems? They are impervious to crossbows and they're quite good with a sword."

Elsa looked at him, her lips pursed. She had considered it but had been fearful of the consequences. Unlike Olaf, the ice soldiers were manifestations of a more monstrous side of her powers of creation. They were wild, and were more than willing to kill. But unlike her first attempt at a guard, Marshmallow, they were dangerously smart and cunning.

"Controlling one is not as easy as it looks. The ones I summon in training are a hell to contain. I doubt I can control an army of them!" A horrifying vision of the ice golems running out of control flashes in her mind.

They all looked at her expectantly, and Anna puts her arm around her to give her support. "Elsa, you're our best and only chance we have to take back Arendelle from Ulfric. No one else here has powers such as yours." She gave her a half-grin. "So use it!"

Taking a deep breath, Elsa stood up. "I... I need time to consider it." She walked towards the entrance, surprising everyone. "I need time to think about it first, okay? Leave me alone until I return." She was masking the agony in her voice, for something deeper than the fear of losing control of a few golems was haunting her now.

Then, without saying any word on where she was going, she exited the lodge, running off into the dim afternoon. Anna was about to go after her, but Pabbie pulled her back. "Let me go!" the redhead blurted, "I have to talk to her!"

"Leave her be, Anna." The troll pulled her back to her seat. She tried to push him but it was like trying to move a boulder. "If she needs time to herself, leave her be."

The redhead reluctantly stopped resisting, sitting back down on her seat. "Fine..."

* * *

The thick overcast above made the late afternoon resemble nighttime already. Snow had started to fall, courtesy of Elsa's runaway emotions. A cocktail of fear, anger, and hopelessness swirled in a dangerous mixture inside of her. Judging herself far enough, the blonde collapsed in front of a large rock right in the middle of a clearing. She looked up at the clouded sky, gazing at the dark heavens above.

Elsa had been losing her faith in the Almighty long ago during her years of isolation and fear. Her torments under Ulfric almost snuffed it out completely. Why should she believe after all the abandonment she had suffered? However, her near-death experience revived the little spark of faith she had, but it was barely glowing in the sea of hopelessness.

Do the heavens still care for her?

Clutching her hands together in front of her, the blonde lowered her head. For the first time in years, she said the words of a prayer.

"Father, please hear my prayer... I know I have sinned recently. I have committed a dark sin that would have condemned me to Death..."

_Incest_. Her love for Anna was wicked, a heinous sin that would have casted her to Hellfire. To others, their love was an abomination, something inhuman that should be destroyed. But she would never, ever be sorry for what she had done. Despite this, the blonde hoped there was still a chance the Almighty would consider her plight.

No matter how slim it might be.

Elsa took a deep breath before continuing her prayer. "But I beg of you to consider me. The blood of innocents already stains my hands, yet more will suffer if I don't act." She thought about the dead trolls and the citizens under Ulfric's tyranny, their blood shed upon the ground pointlessly. And it was all her _fault_.

The blonde resumed her plea to the heavens. Her deepest emotions welled up inside of her, spilling into her heartfelt prayer. "Help me Father, for I am _afraid_... My spirit and flesh are weak... I beg of you to give the strength to overcome my fear before more innocent lives are lost..." A beat of silence, then a soft, agonized whisper. "_Please_..."

Her sweat and tears were like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground. She gazed into the dark heavens, tears of ice falling from her eyes. "_Please_ Father, don't abandon me in my time in need... _I need you_."

Something suddenly touched her shoulder. Elsa's eyes shot open in surprise. She scrambled backwards, yelping. Her eyes widen even further when she recognized instantly him.

"F-Father?"

There was a faint smile on his face as he kneeled down to comfort her. He was dressed in the military-style clothes he had worn the day he had departed with her mother for their fateful sea voyage.

It was as if he had never died.

Elsa shook her head and blinked hard, knowing full well she was hallucinating. But her father did not disappear from her vision.

"Hello my daughter. You've grown so much since the last time since I've seen you."

The sound of his voice struck a fragile chord in the blonde, and she bursts into icy tears. The king hugged her to comfort her. "Elsa, don't cry... Your father's here, don't be afraid..."

Elsa however, pushed him away to arm's length. "Why? Why are you here?"

His face twisted with from a pain that cannot be matched by neither earthly torture nor psychological nightmare. It was the pain of utter failure. He then swallowed the agony, then staring right into her eyes. "To tell you what I should have told you long ago... That I'm so, _so_ sorry for what I've done to you, my daughter. This -" he gestured around him, " - is all of my fault, not yours."

It took a few seconds for a spark in her brain to connect everything. It was her father's fault that Anna and her never got a chance to grow up together. It was his fault that their kingdom had little defense from foreign threats. And it was his fault that Elsa never had a chance to fully realize her powers. Thus, all of these errors eventually culminated into her hellish predicament.

The revelation was more than she could handle.

All the anger and frustration that she harbored for him exploded in a fury of ice behind her. The rock she prayed on became entombed in frost, while shards of ice forced their way out the ground like fingers. Her father backed up slightly to give her space, but he held his ground.

The wind around her picked up, reflecting her pent up fury. "You stupid, _stupid_ man! You were supposed to keep this kingdom _safe!" _

The king looked down in intense shame. "I failed in that regard..."

"You failed in raising the kingdom right! You failed in raising _me_ right! "Elsa's azure eyes burned with anger at the king. "Now I have to burden everything because of your stupid, _stupid_ decisions!"

The king kept silent, looking down on the ground bitterly. "Everything that went wrong is my fault Elsa, I admit it. From the events few months ago to now, the blame rightfully belongs to me. But you have to listen to -"

"Why should I listen to you when you've done nothing but fail me in my life! And then you _leave _me without fixing your failures?!"

The blizzard around her raged further, the hailstones and snow forming a vortex of ice. "I know how much you're angry at me Elsa, but please hear me out!" Tears started streaming down his cheeks as he walked up to her, the hail strangely not affecting him. "You have to listen to me if you want to right all of my wrongs!"

Falling to her knees with a strangled sob, she looked up at her father again, voice breaking. "_I do_... I do want to right this mess, b-but..." She broke down, crying hopelessly. The vortex of hate ceased, the hailstones clinking lightly on the snow-covered ground.

Her father approached her again, cradling her in her arms. "Everything now depends on you. The trolls depend on you. Arendelle depends on you." He wiped her tears away. "_Anna_ depends on you."

"I know they depend on me father, but-" She sniffled before resuming, "that's why I'm _afraid_ father... I'm afraid I'm not strong enough to do help them..."

The king pulled back, gently caressing her face. "You _are_ strong enough to help them, Elsa." He poked his finger into her heart. "This is why. Elsa, you're still holding back the true extent of your powers. A long time ago I told you to conceal and don't feel." Her father looked away briefly before locking eyes with her intently. "Only now do I see how _wrong_ I was."

"But Ulfric -"

"Your powers are the _greatest_ the world has ever seen Elsa. Nothing, not even _fire_ can match the true potential that you hold." He smiled warmly at her, holding his daughter in his arms lovingly. "You have to believe in yourself, for your ice will be the saving grace for the kingdom."

The blonde's fury for the man shattered like thin glass. She threw her arms around him, hope filling her empty vessel. "You don't want to disappoint Anna now, do you? She believes in you immensely. Even in her nightmares, the anchor she uses to return to reality is her hope that you'll be there for her."

"I'll do it... For everyone." A beat of silence. Then, a steely whisper. "_For Anna._"

Smiling, the king helped her up, gently wiping the last remnants of the tears on her pale cheeks. He planted a soft kiss to her forehead. "It's your duty to fix my mess, but I know you can do it." His eyes were full of pure hope as he beamed down at her. "I _believe_ in you my daughter."

"_I know you can_."

There was a sudden flash of white light, blinding Elsa for a few moments. She blinked hard, but when she opened her eyes again she noticed her father was no longer with her. In fact, she was kneeling again in front of her prayer rock as if nothing ever happened.

Although the heavens were silent, she knew that her vision was the Almighty's answer for her prayer. For the first time in days, hope had fully returned to her. She looked up at the clouded skies, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

"Thank you..." she whispered to the sky. The clouds parted momentarily, shining down a ray from the light of the moon upon her.

A slow grin crossed Elsa's face as she looked around the clearing. She felt pure, unadulterated power rush in her veins like mighty rapids. It felt _right_. After twenty-one years, she was finally wielding her power with a _precision_ worthy that it was always meant to be.

The first thing she did with her resurgent powers was change her clothes. The simple tunic and trousers she wore shimmered as they became her ice armor. Plates of ice covered her from the neck down. To finish her armor, she conjured a large cloak of dark ice, but it was colored ebony instead of the typical azure.

_Now for my army_.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa opened her now glowing blue eyes, blasting a furious gale of ice in front of her with her palms. The temperature dropped fifty degrees as the ice she summoned began taking the form of an army. Fifty ice golems slowly emerged out of the sheet of ice, an assortment of weapons in their frost hands. Some carried claymores of frost, others icy crossbows, but most wielded a sword and shield of ice. They were fearsome and undoubtedly more than a match for a human.

But Elsa wasn't fully satisfied.

She hurls another wintry tempest to her right, blasting the trees down effortlessly. The immense ice sheet that formed on the ground stirred as another army of ice soldiers were born. Thirty stallions made of frost whinnied as they broke through the sheet, their bodies covered with blue plates. Following them were their riders - knights in frosted armor - emerging out of the plane of ice. Elsa grinned as she watched the ice knights mount their steeds, their right arms elongating to wicked sharp lances. The mounted knights reared high in the air, a gust of cold wind blowing through the clearing.

_And this isn't even the true extent of what I can do. _

The frozen army was silent, their faces expressionless as they awaited for her orders. As much as she wants to run off and reclaim Arendelle by herself, she knew she still needed rest. Looking at her army, the blonde gave them one order. "Follow me." Her voice was _rich_ with power, and she swore that there was a soft echo after the utterance of every word.

The golems bowed reverently before forming a marching column behind her. Satisfied, Elsa walked back towards Kristoff's lodge, an air of confidence around her as her army marched behind her. Never before since she accepted her powers in the North Mountain did she feel this free and powerful.

Once they arrived back at the lodge, Elsa raised her hand to signal for them to stop. "Wait here," she said.

A faint smile appeared on her pale lips as she approached the door. "Here we go." Elsa opened the door to the lodge, a blast of wintry wind accompanying her. Everyone jerked their heads towards her, and their eyes widen when they notice her wardrobe change.

Anna blinked a couple of times as she beheld her sister. The blonde's eyes were literally glowing with utter confidence. And her clothes "Elsa h-how -"

"We march to Arendelle at dawn."

Clemenson spat out his tea, splattering poor Sebastian's face with warm tea. "But ma'am we don't -" Elsa held her hand up to stop Clemenson.

"Look outside."

The old general ran up to the window. His eyes widen as he gawked at the ice golems obediently waiting her orders. "Wha - how did you do that?" he sputtered. Everyone else piled up behind him to have a look at the newly reborn Army of Arendelle.

Elsa smirked at him. "The power of hope." She smiled at Anna, and the redhead tearfully smiled back. She saw the spark of hope inside Anna's soul burn brightly for the first time in days.

She knew that no nightmares will _dare_ haunt them tonight.

* * *

"I'll ask you again nicely. Where are they hiding?"

Kai spat out blood from his mouth, bleeding internally from the strikes of the brass knuckles Ulfric's thugs wore. He lifted his head up, giving the Crown Prince a death glare. "_Fuck... you..."_

Ulfric snapped his fingers again, and the guards resume their vicious beating. The servant kept silent however, refusing to give him the information. After a few minutes of bone-breaking thuds, Ulfric snapped his fingers again, the guards ceasing their attack immediately. The servant lied bloodied on the stone floor, dark bruises everywhere.

The Crown Prince towered over him, putting his boot on the man's stomach and pressing down. "One final time." He leaned down, placing his weight on his left foot. "Where. Are. They?"

The defiant Kai spat blood all over Ulfric's face. "_Fuck you_!" One of the soldiers backhanded him, and his vision turned red.

Wiping his face with his hand, the Crown Prince glowered dangerously at the servant. "You'll never see the light of day -"

_Boom _

_Boom_

_Boom_

Three muffled explosions in quick succession cut him off. The standard greeting of the Southern Isles Imperial Navy. A cruel sneer twisted Ulfric's face. "They're here." He strode out the dungeon, leaving Kai to the mercy of his men.

Rushing outside, the Prince headed to the docks. Although it was dark, he could see the ships of his flotilla sail their way down the inlet that led to Arendelle's docks. The frigates and cruiser were massive, even larger than the galleons he had brought with him. The flagship of the flotilla and pride of Ulfric's personal fleet, _Fafnir, _fired another salvo of cannon fire to announce her menacing presence. The dragon figurehead that decorated its prow resembled a sea serpent as it sliced through the water.

The countdown to doomsday has begun.


	14. Fimbulwinter - The Battle of Arendelle

Can I say something crazier? I don't own Frozen too!

**A/N: **Ah yes, here we go! The Battle for the fate of Arendelle has arrived! For added epicness, listen to this Preliator by Globus during the appropriate times. Have fun and I hope you enjoy!

_**Chapter Fourteen: Fimbulwinter - The Battle of Arendelle**_

Elsa awoke from the first solid period of slumber she'd had in days. Anna had also been quiet throughout the night as well, no night terror daring to haunt her. The only light in her room came from the dim, rusty lantern sitting atop a nearby crate. It was still dark, but something in Elsa told her that dawn was approaching soon.

_It is time_.

The redhead was still fast asleep, a faint smile on her beautiful face as she dreamt of good things. As much as Elsa hates it, she has to leave the redhead behind until she secures Arendelle for her sake. The redhead protested her choice last night vehemently until Elsa reluctantly agreed to take her with her to the battle.

But unbeknownst to her sister, Elsa had lied to her. Although, Elsa had always despised lying to the girl - especially after what they have been through recently. But for the sake of Anna's safety, - and in turn, Elsa's own safety - she had to do it. The horrors of war were too much for the younger girl's still mending mind.

_The ends justify the means. _

Exhaling softly, Elsa carefully maneuvered herself out from under the younger girl, giving her a final kiss goodbye, before she slipped out the door into the main room. Lord Clemenson and Arnbjorn were already awake and were waiting for her in the living room, gathered around a map of Arendelle lying on the table. A cup of tea and a plate of cold meat and dry bread were awaiting her on the dinner table.

"Good morning my Queen," Clemenson greeted, placing his little cup of tea down on a plate. The housecarl acknowledged her with a reverent bow of his head.

Elsa sat down and hastily began her breakfast. "Are you two prepared? Do you remember the plan?" she asked them after quickly finishing the bland food. She prayed that the meal will give her enough strength to last the battle until she can get real food.

The two men nodded their heads, recalling the quick, yet effective battle plan all three of them had brainstormed last night. The plan - christened Operation Fimbulwinter - was relatively simple, relying on trickery, rapid troop movement, and overwhelming brute force to succeed. Arnbjorn and Lord Clemenson were to lead the frost golem infantry in a flanking maneuver around Arendelle while waiting for Elsa's charge against the warships. When the cavalry charge commences and distracts the flotilla and garrison, the vanguard force storms the city while Ulfric's thugs are inattentive. The frozen army will then proceed to retake the city from the Southern Isles, while Elsa takes on the mad Prince and puts an end to his tyranny.

Despite their rather simplistic approach to attacking the city, Elsa was confident Anna and her would be sleeping together in her bed by nighttime.

After breakfast was finished and the two men were clad in winter gear, Elsa led them outside for final preparations. The Army of Arendelle awaited for their Queen, having kept a silent vigil overnight. Elsa inspected her golems meticulously, then she judged their numbers are still insufficient to take on the city. With a simple wave of her hand, she summons forty more mounted knights and an additional fifty ice infantry, now making their numbers a respectable one hundred and seventy strong.

Taking a deep breath, Elsa conjures her ice armor and war cloak, along with three war steeds for herself and the two men. She mounted the ice stallion, Clemenson and Arnbjorn following suit. "Alright, I'm ready to fight," the General said as he took the reins of his frost stallion.

Arnbjorn trotted up behind him, his hand resting on his steel blade. "I'm ready as well, my Queen."

"Then it's settled." The Queen trotted the front of the army, her ebony ice cloak billowing in the mountain wind. She took a deep breath, feeling her power surge within her. "Commence Operation Fimbulwinter!"

She locked eyes with the two men; even in the dim light she could see the unbreakable determination in their souls. "We _will_ live after the battle. I can feel it. Godspeed gentlemen." Elsa held out her hand, and Frostbite hisses to life in her grip.

Pointing the frost blade in Arendelle's direction, the Ice Queen rallied her army forth. Adrenaline pumped in her veins at the sheer thought of the upcoming battle.

"To war!"

* * *

The empty halls of Arendelle Castle were a depressing sight. The once beautiful decorations and paintings adorning the walls were vandalized by Ulfric's men, and the flooring was marred by dirt and other foul things. A few guards patrolled the desolate corridors, their swords' clanking as they bounced softly off their leg armor, echoing in the dark halls. There was a wraithlike miasma of uneasiness throughout the castle, but they could not pinpoint the source, for it seems coming from everywhere.

Even the Crown Prince felt its unnerving presence. His golden eyes were heavily bloodshot. The usually finely-combed strands of auburn hair on his head were matted and stuck to his skin, and his trademark beard was in worse condition than his hair. His bear fur cloak stank of dried blood and stale mead. For man that proclaims himself King, Ulfric resembled an old, hairy beggar in royal's clothes.

But no one dared say that to his face lest they had a wish for a flaming sword rammed in their gut.

Friedrich, the madly loyal crossbowman he had promoted to his housecarl after Arnbjorn suddenly disappeared, watched him pace from afar. He too, felt the uneasiness. "Has a curse been placed upon us my Liege? Perhaps one of the remaining servants-"

"Silence Friedrich. You're irritating me as much as this horrid dread," the Crown Prince snarled dryly, and the soldier shuts his scarred lips

It all had started when Arnbjorn mysteriously left him. His former housecarl had always been by his side when he needs him, and they fought countless battles together. Some even say they were almost brothers. But after all that, he disappears right under his nose? What was it that caused Arnbjorn to suddenly leave his post?

Blinded by his own madness, the Crown Prince failed to see it was his fall towards insanity and cruel sadism are what forced his housecarl to abandon his services.

He was desperate to find relief from this unnerving dread that hung around the air. Storming out the throne room, the Crown Prince hastily walked to the balcony for fresh air. There was a faint light to the east, growing ever so stronger by the minute. Rays of light from the still hidden sun illuminated the skies orange.

Dawn has arrived.

At that very moment, away in some street in the city, a rooster crowed. Shrill and clear it was, echoing through the lone alleyways, streets, and into the cold fjord, heralding only the sun that was soon to arrive.

And as if in answer, there came from far away another sound. It was unmistakable; a low, sustained note that was frequently heard before the start of a battle. Horns, an entire host of them. Throughout the dim fjord of Arendelle and the dark crags, they reverberated. Their voice was clear, sending only one message to Arendelle as their sound washed over the awakening city.

The rightful sovereign of Arendelle has returned.

* * *

Elsa gazed down the snow-covered ridge that overlooked her homeland. Although the city appeared relatively fine from afar, all is not what it seems. There was a foul aura of terror that hung over the kingdom like a malicious wraith, its roots anchored to the castle. Seven warships were anchored in the fjord, three of which were particulary fearsome in appearance. They had corned the city like vicious hounds, foaming rabidly at the mouth as they awaited to devour their prey.

But Elsa refused to let that happen.

Bringing the war horn of ice hanging at her side up to her lips, she blew a powerful note right down into the kingdom, disturbing the wraith's stranglehold on the city. Her knights followed suit, and the chorus of war horns made their presence known to everyone. The evils that occupied her city turned their groggy focus on her and the knights that followed her.

_There will be no escape from the storm_.

Holding her head high, the Queen-turned-commander trotted to the front of the line and faced her knights. Rising high in her stirrups, she cried in a loud voice towards her cavalry.

"Arise! Arise, my soldiers! An evil enemy holds the knife against the throat of our fair Arendelle! Unopposed, they committed atrocious crimes against her rulers and the people! But that will soon come to an end! Ride forth! Ride forth, and we will _break_ them as the sun _breaks the darkness_!"

With that, Elsa seized the horn once more, and blew such a triumphant blast that it briefly rend the wraith of terror over Arendelle asunder. And promptly the host of cavalry joined in her deafening call, the blowing of the horns of the Queen's army a tempest of sound upon the kingdom.

"_Bring the wrath of winter upon THEM_!"

The Queen cried to her stallion and the horse charged away down the ridge with such ferocity, Elsa had to hold on tight until her knuckles were white. Her knights followed her, thundering down the white snow as the morning rays of the sun broke behind them. Their wake was followed by a massive cloud of snow as the host charged furiously towards the fjord, making their numbers seem even larger.

The warships sailed slowly to meet them, their captains amused that the three-deep line of cavalry even _dared_ to think a charge would be effective against such mighty engines of destruction. They themselves formed a row, seemingly to mock Elsa's hopeless charge.

Snow explodes high into the air as the charging cavalry met the foot of the ridge, the avalanche that was chasing them having caught up to them. Although at first blinded by the thick cloud of snow, Elsa was counting on this to occur. Her command over frost made it possible to bypass being buried by the avalanche and using the cloud it stirred as a screen. They thundered towards the freezing waves, cloaked by the avalanche's wake.

It took only four seconds for them to break through the cloud wall as one, stunning the captains. Now at ground level and still storming to the shore, the blonde was able to get a true scale of how _small_ they were compared to even the smallest of the warships.

But Elsa did not falter, leading the knights towards the shore. Closer and closer, they thunder towards the fjord. Right before they crash into the waves, Elsa releases a fraction of her power. It was more than enough however, for the waters of the fjord froze into thick sheets of ice, forming a path for the cavalry. The charge was not at all slowed as they stormed onto the frozen surface.

Thunderous hooves stampede across the ice sheet as they come closer to the warships. The captain of the _Fafnir_ ignored the threat of the ice and sailed forward alone, intent on crushing the cavalry charge beneath the unforgiving prow of his ship. The advancing ice sheet cracked and groaned as wood met ice.

The dragon figurehead on the flagship's bow with its maw wide open, seemed to be swooping in to devour Elsa soul as they head on a collision course. She closed her eyes, remembering her father's words to her from her vision last night. _Your powers are the greatest the world has ever seen_.

Power surged in her veins, and Elsa's now glowing eyes shot open. She unleashes the fury of her birthright with a fierce cry, a cry so terrifying it struck fear through the crew of the warships.

Suddenly, an enormous iceberg rocketed from the depths of the fjord, halting the warship in its path. Like a knife, it cut through the heart of the monster, cold and clear. She had impaled the ship with so much force, the cruiser _Fafnir _had been hoisted thirty feet into the air before splitting in half and crashed with a deep wail. The cavalry circumvented the dying ship as debris and bodies rained. Those that were unfortunate enough to survive the fall were trampled underfoot by Elsa and her knights.

_One down_.

A deafening chorus of cannons suddenly erupts around them, the flanking frigates firing in a panic. Their shots missed completely though as they were not able to train their guns low enough to fire at the passing cavalry. They only managed to land shots on each other.

Without even sparing a glance towards them, Elsa lets loose a devastating explosion of ice against the frigates. Numerous icebergs erupted on both sides, disemboweling the warships violently. The cries of the sailors were silenced as the once fearsome frigates swiftly sank beneath the unforgiving waters of the fjord. Ice crept and sealed the polynyas.

_Three down_.

They were well behind the remaining trapped brigs. Elsa signals for the charge to halt to inspect the damage to her host and Ulfric's flotilla. Miraculously, no knights were lost while the enemy had suffered a tremendous loss in only a few minutes. The panicked sailors from the four paralyzed brigs were already abandoning ship and fleeing across the ice. She seized her horn, ready to commence a devastating charge at the routed enemy when the sound of furious cannon salvos abruptly echoed from the port.

* * *

Screams resonated around Arendelle as the cobblestone streets became a battleground. The vanguard of a hundred ice infantry stormed the city as soon as the first ship was demolished by Elsa. They had briefly took the Southern Isles garrison by suprise, but the soldiers quickly mounted a furious defense, momentarily stalling the assault.

But they were only holding off their inevitable deaths.

A phalanx of ice golems advanced through a street, ice shields locked as a squad of crossbowmen desperately attempted to halt them. The barrage of bolts dealt only superficial damage, merely succeeding in turning the golems to cold, walking pincushions.

"Retreat!" cried one of the guards. They were about to turn tail and run, but lo and behold, another shield wall of golems had flanked them cut off their exit. Their deaths came quick, the bloodstained ice swords making quick work of the men. Having cleared the street, the frost automatons marched off to find more soldiers to slaughter.

Down in the city square, a skirmish raged between hulking ice golems and the "defenders." Lord Clemenson shouted orders on top of his mount, occasionally galloping into the frey to join the battle. The soldiers of the Southern Isles had managed to take down a small number of the automatons, but their own losses were building up.

The survivors of the square retreated into further into the city, and the golems hounded them.

Meanwhile as the frozen army systematically eradicated the garrison, Arnbjorn galloped down an alleyway, yelling to the people to stay inside and lock their doors. With nothing they can do, the people did as they were told. A few brave citizens had tried to offer help to the vanguard, but the housecarl warned them they might be mistaken for enemies.

He was about to charge down another street but something interrupted him.

The distant boom of broadside fire echoed somewhere from the fjord, then the sharp sound of ice breaking. Galloping to one of the city's esplanades get a view, Arnbjorn was treated to the glorious sight of the frigates skewered with colossal spikes of ice. The housecarl couldn't help but cry out with glee as the ships sunk beneath the frozen fjord.

Another cannonade rang off. But this time, it didn't originate from the fjord. They were coming from the heart of the port.

The galleons - whether by Ulfric's orders or their captain's - were firing blindly into the city, murdering indiscriminately as the cannonballs ripped through houses, streets, and bodies.

"Oh _shit!" _he cursed. Reining his horse, the housecarl prepared to run off to join with the main force, but he paled when he turned around. He found himself surrounded by five soldiers from the Southern Isles. Leading them was none other than Friedrich. The chestnut-haired lieutenant twirled a bolt in his fingers before loading it.

"Well so that's what you've been up to Arnbjorn," Friedrich chastised. "Helping the _enemy," _he smiled coldly_._ "That's about as heinous as fucking your own sister. Do you not know treason is punishable by death in our homeland?"

Arnbjorn unsheathed his blade and pointed it at Friedrich. "I no longer pledge my allegiance to the Southern Isles, for Elsa is my new Master. And unlike _you_ and the rest of Ulfric's _men_, I have honor." His horse reared high into the air and he prepared to run them down.

He sneered at him. "There is no honor in war." Before Arnbjorn could react, Friedrich shot him square in his stomach.

A sharp pain flared where the bolt slammed into him. Losing his grip, the housecarl fell of his horse, the wind in his lungs knocked out by the fall. The steed charged at the soldiers, but one of them, out of blind luck, swung his greatsword and decapitated the stallion. The housecarl tried to get up but Friedrich shot his thigh. Injured and without a mount, Arnbjorn was helpless as his former countrymen stalked towards him.

Friedrich took Arnbjorn's fallen blade and pressed the tip against his throat. "Be happy that you'll die by my hand instead having the disgrace of being executed by your former master."

War horns suddenly bellow from the port, interrupting Arnbjorn's impending execution. The temperature dropped nearly thirty degrees as a massive ice formation vaguely resembling a clawed hand erupted from the port.

Suddenly losing all interest in Arnbjorn, Friedrich flung the sword away. "_Fuck_! Follow me! We must stop the wicked sinner!" The kill squad ran off towards the harbor, leaving Arnbjorn bloodied in the street.

Th housecarl attempted to stand, but only managed to limp ten paces before collapsing on the street. Something cold gently grabbed his collar, and dragged him off.

* * *

Riding her war horse, Elsa felt powerful and nigh unstoppable as she thundered atop the ice into Arendelle's port. The galleons Ulfric had arrived with were firing their starboard cannons with indiscriminately. Fury erupted in her as she thought of the innocents that died or got hurt because of her.

Her eyes glowed even brighter and she blew the war knights joined her call, heralding the impending doom for the galleons.

Utilizing the raw power of her birthright, Elsa outstretched her hands towards the ships. On cue, two claw-like icebergs surged from the harbor's depths and seized the galleons, swiftly dragging them underwater and halting their onslaught. All of Ulfric's ships were now out of commission by her hand.

The "fingers" of one of the icebergs formed a ramp for her charging knights to scale. They charged up the ramp and into the docks, before they fan out into the city. Elsa did not join them to finish clean up. She had peeled off from the formation, trotting alone in the wrecked docks. Bodies of the galleon's sailors were strewn sporadically, having been flung off the deck.

Elsa dismounted her steed, her eyes burning with hate as she turned to glare at the castle. The wraith of fear had shriveled until it only had influence over the castle. One she planned to weed out soon.

Ulfric hadn't joined the battle yet, but he was probably awaiting for her inside her own house. Whatever defense he was planning - if he had any at all - had backfired on him.

"There will be no escape from me, Ulfric," she snarled in a voice that did not belong to her. She felt a dropping sensation in her stomach as the power of her birthright reached tothe heavens.

Dark clouds rolled in ominously from the west, blotting out the sun's rays. Hail and snow began to pour from the heavens. Howling gales roared, buffeting everything with their fury and plunging the temperatures. She slowly stalked down the docks, heading to the bridge that led to the castle, her black cloak snapping in the wind.

She was almost at the bridge when a voice shrieked from somewhere nearby, "There she is! Kill her!" Five soldiers sprung out from piles of debris, swords raised to strike. Elsa glared at them and they immediately halted, turned around, and fled in terror. The only one stupid enough to challenge her brought up his crossbow, aiming right between her eyes despite the inclement weather.

"Fine! I'll do it myself!" he snarled. She recognized the man as the one who shot her wrist and thigh with a crossbow. The soldier pulled the trigger, but Elsa was more than prepared. A vortex roared around her, deflecting the bolt.

"Wha-"

Elsa gladly repayed him for the wounds he inflicted on her. Flicking her wrist, she hurls three, thin crystalline spears downrange towards him. They found their mark easily, impaling the soldier's right wrist, thigh, and heart. His dismembered hand, severed by the force of the spear, was flung ten feet away. It still clutched on to the crossbow.

The soldier fell on the ground dead. Something in Elsa reveled in this, but she passed it off as battle-fury, and she continued her lone march towards the closed gates. The city of Arendelle still raged behind her in battle, but it won't be long before Ulfric's men are dead.

_It all ends before tomorrow. _The sealed gates were now fiftyyards from her.

Cupping her hands, Elsa concentrated a tight ball of frost and wind. She took deep breaths as she built up power behind the ball, the raging gale picking up with each exhale. The violation of her sister briefly flashed in her head as she finished the ice bomb.

_For Anna_.

She yelled as she hurled the ice bomb towards the gates. An explosion of cold, ice, and snow blanketed the area as it exploded. While they were built to withstand battering rams, the gates were rend asunder under the fury of winter.

Albeit somewhat winded from her effort, Elsa advanced towards the frosted ruins of the gatehouse. There was a multitude of frozen, dismembered limbs and mutilated bodies littering the wreckage, but Ulfric's body was nowhere to be found.

However, Elsa saw that as a good thing. The crimes he had committed against Arendelle, her, and Anna are too extreme to deserve a kind death such as these men were given.

_I'm coming for you._

* * *

_Earlier, about forty five minutes after Elsa left for war_

Anna slowly opened her eyes as she awoke from the first restful night she had. _Today's the day_. Excitement filled her veins as she thought of fighting by her sister's side to retake their home. However, it took only a few moments for her to realize that no cool arms were cuddling her.

It only meant one thing. Elsa had lied last night and left her without taking her to the battle.

She darted out of the bed and bursts into the living quarters, her face flushed with anger. There she found Kristoff and Sebastian playing cards together in the table. When they spotted her, the servant bolted into his feet and bowed to her.

"Princess Anna! What may I get you? Tea? Some bread? Or do you want to join us in cards?"

Anna seized Sebastian's collar in a display of strength that belied her size. Her voice was dangerous, scary almost. "Where. Is. Elsa?"

"She went off to Arendelle!" Sebastian squeaked, "But she ordered us to watch over you until the battle's over!"

She pushed him backwards into Kristoff and began putting the outdoor gear Kristoff lended to her. "Anna, your sister said to not let you go after her!" the mountain man said as he recovered.

"It's too dangerous!" Sebastian added.

The redhead narrowed her eyes at them. The two men flinched in fear._ "Not as dangerous as lying to me." _Putting on her fur cap, Anna stormed out the lodge and headed for Sven's stable. The two men dared not to stop her however, too frightened of what the punishment was going to be if they did try.

It was still somewhat dark, but there was a soft light to the east. She could just make out a massive trail of footprints heading towards Arendelle's direction. They were fresh, so Elsa had just left recently.

_There's still a chance I can get to her._

When she entered the stable, she found Pabbie was meditating near the sleeping reindeer. He was sitting cross-legged taking deep breaths as he chanted in a strange, rumbling language. It sounded similar to falling gravel, but he stopped chanting when Anna cleared her throat.

"Hello Princess Anna," he greeted her. He didn't seem annoyed at all that he was interrupted. In fact, it was almost as if he was expecting her.

"Pabbie, I have to find Elsa _now_." On cue, Sven awoke, lifting his head up to see her. The troll patted his side, briefly talking in the language of trolls to him. Sven nodded and sat up, waiting patiently. She noticed his reins were already on place

"Sven should be able to get to Arendelle in at least forty minutes. The battle will be almost over by then however."

"W-w-wait, you're not going to stop me?" she sputtered.

The shaman shook his head. "Last night in secret, I had warned her that foresaw bad things should you two become separated. But Elsa refused to believe in my words of warning, insisting that you should be left behind for your safety."

"Wait, what do you mean you foresaw bad things?"

Pabbie's face darkened. Whatever he saw, it was very dreadful. Maybe even worse than their time in the dungeon. "It's best not to talk about it, lest they come true." He left it at that and urgently pointed to Sven. "Now go! Elsa needs you!"

Anna quickly mounted the reindeer, leaning down to not bump her head as he rose to his full height. Sven trotted out the stables, while Pabbie followed them. A unnaturally cold wind blew from Arendelle's direction. The skies started to lighten even further, the darkness slowly retreating. "Ride! The battle's going to initiate soon!" Pabbie barked.

With a quick snap of Sven's reins, Anna hastily took off, following the road to war.


	15. Memento Mori

Frozen never belonged to me anyway!

**A/N: **Ulfric will finally get what he deserves! I warn you, this chapter is just as violent as chapter ten. Yeah, the chapter with the scourging.

_**Chapter Fifteen: Memento Mori**_

The dreadful wraith over the castle loomed over Elsa menacingly as she strode towards the one of the entrances of the castle. It seemed to challenge and mock her authority as the rightful Queen, taunting her that she will fail in the end and all will be lost. A hateful seed of doubt sprouted like some sort of weed inside her.

_No_. Fate is on her side now. Casting uncertainty from her soul, Elsa blasted open the entrance.

Home sweet home was not at all the right phrase to describe Elsa's return to her castle.

The halls were like a scene straight out of the most frightening of her nightmares. Albeit dim, but she could make out the heavily soiled flooring and vandalized walls. But the worst was the _stench_. A vile miasma of rot, stale alcohol, and other foul airs drifted in the air like marsh gas. It made her want to wretch from how absolutely _repugnant_ it was.

Elsa's hatred towards Ulfric raged even stronger. Not only was her sister raped by the bastard, but her own _house_ was treated with as much vile disrespect that Anna has suffered. Anna and her will have to wait a little while longer before they can sleep together in her bed once more.

A vortex of wind, hail, and snow swirled around her as she stalked the empty halls. Wherever the bastard Prince was hiding, she will soon hunt him down like the vermin he is and slay him.

Elsa stopped in the great hall, scanning the dark place for any signs of the Prince. She cried out for him with a voice that echoed like thunder. "There's no escape from the storm, Ulfric!"

Stretching out her arms, Elsa willed her ice tornado to roar, battering the hall with the inclement manifestation of her rage. Her cloak snapped violently in the wind, billowing from the gale force. The little objects that were caught up the tornado's grasp were smashed to smithereens by the hailstones.

The Prince however, did not answer her threat. _He's probably cowering like a rat somewhere._ Silencing the vortex, Elsa marched off, heading for the ballroom. Her footsteps echoed as her ice boots met the hardwood floors, warning the Prince of his impending judgment.

Flashes of every evil that Ulfric inflicted on her and Anna played out in her brain with explicit detail. A phantom stinging sensation flared in Elsa's back, pulsing in set intervals. For a moment, it felt as if the metal studs on the scourge were shredding her the skin of her back again. All the while, screams - the ones Anna made as she was violated - echoed in her ears.

Barely controlling her breathing Elsa almost instantaneously conjured a sword of ice in her hands. However, it wasn't the elegant, leaf-shaped design she was used to. The design was demonic in appearance - quite possibly the largest and severe blade she ever manifested. Large, jagged serrations adorned the blade of this hellish version Frostbite, perfect for rending flesh from bone.

As Elsa stormed towards the ballroom with Frostbite in hand, the hallucinations of their suffering become more uncannily realistic. Her hand clutches Frostbite's grip until it hurts to hold the blade.

_Hell awaits you, you monster_. Striding in the ballroom, the Ice Queen scoured the large expanse for the Crown Prince. She marched slowly, checking every dark corner for him. "Come out of the shadows, _demon_!"

"Oh I'm not the demon here," a voice suddenly said behind her. She whipped around to face him.

Lo and behold, Ulfric stood in the entrance of the ballroom, his burly body blocking the archway. Glowing orange orbs stared right into her soul - windows to his soul of hellfire. Blinded by rage, she had not noticed him stalk her while she searched the ballroom.

He pointed at her accusingly, a twisted smile on his face. "_You're the demon here_."

Thinking on her feet, she used her free hand to hurl enormous tempests of snow and icicles towards him, utilizing large portions of her energy. However, the ice storms vaporize into steam as Ulfric extended his hand and summoned a shield of fire. Unfazed, Elsa launched another storm, and another, and another, trying to overwhelm him with frost.

Yet Ulfric nonchalantly halted each and every one of her attacks with fire, throwing up billowing clouds of water vapor with each successive failure. "Truly you can do better than that!" Ulfric taunted.

Seeing her bombardment of frost fail only served to fuel Elsa's rage. She flung more waves of ice at him, her mind blinded by fury to think straight. With each furious squall, she grew weaker, using up her vital energy.

Ulfric advanced through the steam, summoning a greatsword of fire. It hissed hungrily for blood, and it was easily more than a match for her blade. He swung it around before lazily resting it over his broad shoulders, unharmed by the sword's blazing touch.

"Don't you know, Elsa? You can't freeze fire." The Prince had the _audacity_ to mock her strong yet futile attempts to kill him. Violent winds whipped up around the blonde, but Ulfric held his ground, unimpressed by her ice tornado.

Growling, Elsa held her demonic longsword with both hands and took a fighting stance. "_Then die by my blade!"_

With a fierce cry that cracked the skies, Elsa lunged forward, hellbent on slaying the Devil. Ulfric didn't even bring his sword to bear, a deranged smile on his face as he walked forward to meet her. Closing the distance, she brings Frostbite high in the air to cleave his skull in two.

But she could even think of bringing the blade down at him, Ulfric parried her sword with a hard horizontal swing. The resulting clash nearly broke Elsa's arms from the force. Stunned by the blow, the blonde recoiled backwards, a pulsing ache in both her arms. Steam emanated from where their blades collided, Frostbite starting to melt from the heat.

Ulfric chuckled, his blade hissing as if it was laughing too. "Fool, haven't you already learned ice melts in the presence of heat?"

Recovering from the stun, Elsa hastily renewed her attack with great fury. Their greatswords clashed, hissed, and steamed as Ulfric easily countered her every move. By putting all her power behind every blow however, it was sapping the blonde's strength. The jagged edges of Frostbite were sagging, droplets of water dripping down the blade's length.

"It's much easier to surrender and become my Grim Reaper." He blocks her blade and leans in close to her. "_After all, you're already a monster_."

She spat in his face. "_Fuck you_!"

The Prince bared his teeth in a sick grin. Before Elsa could shove him away, Ulfric attacked. The wind was suddenly knocked from her lungs as a devastating kick sent her flying backwards, her sword flying out her hands as she tumbled head-over-heels on the floor. She skidded to a stop, gritting her teeth as pain raced in her nerves like lightning. The wraith's oppressive presence made itself known, casting a cloak of doubt over her. _You won't win_, it said to her.

But Elsa refused to listen its voice. She has to win, for the fate of Arendelle, herself, and Anna was at stake.

_For Arendelle. _

_For my honor._

_For Anna. _

No matter what's the cost, she has to win.

She pushed off the floor, glaring daggers at the advancing Prince. Without thinking, Elsa unleashed another wintry storm at him, only to have it vaporize into steam as the Crown Prince deflects it with his claymore.

But that gave her an opening. Launching an ice spike, she manages to nick his leg just before it melted, shredding his pants and drawing first blood. Ulfric grimaced as blood seeped out the laceration. "Good try but -" Another sword of ice glittered to life in her hand and she lunged at him.

Ulfric sidesteps her in time. He mocked her vain effort to kill him. "Such a rebellious little toy!"

She stiffened, her hands clenched around Frostbite_. Toy_.

Her ire skyrocketed at the thought of being called such a degrading word. "_I'll cut out your tongue_!" she shrieked as she spun around to slice him.

Elsa's sword was stopped cold, Ulfric having merely raised his blade up slightly to block it. "You're getting slower," he taunted.

Weariness caught up to her. The grinding ache in her arms had propagated up to her shoulders and down into her legs, threatening to divide her attention from fighting. She started to hyperventilate, sweat glistening on her skin. With each successive swing she got more fatigued, her body not used to such vigorous exertion.

It's only a matter of time before she collapses from exhaustion.

The Prince sensed this, jeering her. "You seem quite tired already. Odd, how you can go on for hours fucking your _whore_ of a sister without getting -"

Something in Elsa snapped like matchwood.

Screaming bloody murder, she renewed her onslaught with unbridled anger, the burst of adrenaline in her blood rejuvenating her. The Prince was taken by surprise at first, but he rapidly began blocking her strikes. Elsa slashed and thrusts Frostbite with amazing strength, backed up by the raw vigor of her anger.

It wasn't long until she had Ulfric backed up against the wall. The Prince was exhausted, weakened by the effort of constantly blocking her blade. Confidence filled her. She was going to prevail! Ulfric momentarily lowered his sword to catch his breath, giving her a wide opening to kill him.

Elsa lifts Frostbite high above her head. "_Die you bastard!"_ Using all the force she can muster, she brings her icy claymore right down on his head.

But Frostbite never hit its intended mark. Quicker than lightning, Ulfric deflected her greatsword with a last second parry, and Frostbite melted in her hands. His sword burned bright red-orange - the colors of Hellfire. Elsa stood there stunned, paralyzed by shock.

_He's been toying with me the whole time. _

"Do you think I'm going to die so easily?"

Caught unprepared, he kicked her backwards ten feet, the wind in Elsa's lungs were once again knocked out_. _There was a sharp sound as her ice armor cracked from the force. Struggling to rise, the blonde coughed up a few droplets of blood. The dull ache in her arms and legs were giving way to cramping, torn and worn out from her foolish overexertion.

Her birthright, one she had wielded with the precision of a goddess, faded like a dying ember as pain started overwhelming her. She tried to blast him with ice, but the only power that came out as a weak puff of cold wind.

_No, please no! _Staring at her palm, a horrid realization crept into her mind.

Was Fate abandoning her again?

"_Oh God_..." she whimpered, the simple task of getting up a tremendous effort in itself. Ulfric's heavy footsteps echoed through the ballroom as he approached her.

"Now it's _my_ turn to attack."

* * *

By the time Anna had arrived in the city of Arendelle, the heavens were ominously black, and it was snowing and hailing at the same time. And worse still, it was _brutally_ cold. She still shivered under the three layers of fur she had put on.

The stench of death was everywhere, so strong that Anna had to resist gagging. Snow-covered bodies of soldiers stretched down the streets in droves. Large chunks of ice - the remains of dead golems- were also scattered, but there wasn't as much as compared to the corpses of thugs of the Southern Isles. Since there were no civilians to be found at all, Anna guessed that the city was still on lockdown.

As they made their way through Arendelle, they run across a squad of ice golems patrolling the city. Anna was sure they were going to be caught, but the golems ignored them, acting as if they never existed. However, Anna and Sven gave them a wide berth and detoured towards the promenades for fear of running into General Clemenson or Arnbjorn.

The two trotted down one of the city's multiple esplanades so they can have a view of Arendelle castle. Anna gasped as she saw the state the castle was in. The gatehouse had been demolished completely, as if some big brute stampeded right through it. While the castle was still intact, she can't help but feel despair as she stared at her home. Evil sins have been committed there, hanging in the air around like a ghost.

"C-c-come on, we have to get t-t-to my sist-t-ter!" she said through chattering teeth as she spared a glance at the fjord.

Looking out into the frozen waters, she saw the four abandoned brigs trapped in ice pack. They reminded her of the ships in the fjord when Elsa fled Arendelle and plunged them into a mini ice age for a short time.

Except this time, her sister meant it.

_You're going to pay for lying to me_.

Anna hugged herself desperately as she struggled to keep warm. It almost felt like she was turning into an ice statue all over again, painfully reminding her of the events a few months ago. She was going to have to do more than just chew Elsa out when she sees her again.

Glancing up, she made out something metallic shining in the snow. It was a cruciform sword, embedded in the street not far from a decapitated carcass of an ice horse. Dismounting Sven, she approached the blade and attempted to yank it out the ground, but to no avail. The reindeer conveniently helped her by kicking the blade, and it clattered away as it was freed.

Carefully picking it up, Anna inspected the blade. Intricate patterns decorated the fuller of the arming sword, and there was a wolf's head design on the pommel. Engraved in the grip was a name. _Arnbjorn. _

_Is the housecarl dead? _Anna had only known him personally for a few hours, but Arnbjorn and her became fast friends due to - not surprisingly- their common hatred for Ulfric.

The howling wind suddenly stopped blowing, halting altogether. All around them, every single hailstone and snowflake was suspended in midair, as if time had ceased all together.

It only meant one thing. Something had went wrong_. Terribly _wrong_._

Sven trotted around nervously, looking at the castle with a worried look, sensing the same trouble. The anger that she bore towards the blonde evaporated, replaced by anxiety. Fastening the sword to her sash, Anna patted the reindeer gently. "St-st-stay here Sven, o-o-okay? I won't t-t-take long..." she gave the reindeer a brief hug before pulling away.

Bracing herself against the freezing cold, she madly dashed towards the castle. It felt like she was running underwater, like something was deliberately trying to force her back.

But nothing will ever keep Anna away from Elsa ever again.

_I'm coming for you, Elsa_.

* * *

"Do you honestly think you even had a chance against _me_?" Ulfric chuckled as he towered over her kneeling form. Defiant as ever, she haphazardly threw a weak punch at him, only to wrench her arm back as a vicious cramp paralyzed her limb.

The blonde's suffering filled the sadistic Prince's dark heart with glee. "I've had _decades_ of training, for both my sword _AND_ powers. What do you have? Years of isolation from your powers and no form at all in fighting. You'll never defeat a god such as I, no matter how good you think you are!"

Still holding her arm, Elsa looked up at him, pure _hate_ in her eyes. "Damn you..."

He shoved her back on her stomach with a rough push of his foot. "Look at you... _Weak._ A good pet knows when to please her Master and when to submit. But you've done nothing but disappoint me!" He sneered at her. "And so, I must punish you once more."

Ulfric's mad laughter echoed through the hallways of the castle as he inflicted a brutal beatdown upon Elsa.

_CRACK_

The Crown Prince's heavy boot smashes against her ribs. A strained gasp tore from Elsa's throat, pain exploding from the point of impact. Had it not been for her cuirass, her ribs surely would have been smashed in. Without giving her any time to recover, Ulfric delivered another brutal kick, this time, to her gut.

Bile crawled up her throat, doing all she could to suppress it. Following her instincts, Elsa threw up her hand in a last-ditch attempt to kill him. But her strength was sapped dry, using most of it during her relentless but unsuccessful assault on him. She only succeeded in littering the floor in front of his feet with tiny flakes of snow.

Ulfric chuckled, "_Weak_." He seized her by her wrists with one hand, lifting her up to face-level effortlessly in a bone-crushing grip. Elsa gritted her teeth, fighting the torment of the shooting pain in her arms and legs. The heat convecting from his claymore started melting parts of her armor.

"Your suffering hasn't even truly _begun_," Ulfric snarled.

He propped her up on her feet a few feet away. Before she collapsed, the Crown Prince suddenly spun around and slammed her chest with the flat of his greatsword. Brutal agony erupts in the blonde's chest, her ribs cracking from the sheer force as she flew backwards.

Colliding with one of the columns in the ballroom back-first, another sickening crack tore through the air. Pain ripped through her with hurricane force as her ribs fractured on both sides. Breathing became _excruciating_, rivaling the pain of the scourging. She coughed blood violently, intensifying the hell in her chest. Elsa's ice armor steamed, the area where the blade struck melting off and revealing her bruised flesh.

Ulfric extinguished his fire sword and picked her up by her hands once more. Elsa resisted screaming, bright lights bursting in her eyes. Pure _agony _coursedthrough her body, each labored breath more hellish than the last.

Scourging was a walk in the park compared to the physical pain she suffered now.

The Demon Prince caressed her face tenderly, running his calloused fingers all over her cheeks. Revolted, Elsa spat blood in his face, but she ended up falling into a violent fit. Ulfric slowly wiped his face clean, "First you fuck you own sister and now _this_?" He shook his head in disgust. "You need a lesson in _proper_ manners."

_SNAP_

Intense pain overwhelmed Elsa, and she did all she could from crying out. The Crown Prince had broken her forearms against the column. In doing so, he had severed her ability to summon her birthright. Hell does not even begin to describe the level of suffering she faced now.

It would take a miracle to save her now.

He held up his free hand, a little ball of hellfire blazing to life. Its intense heat made whatever cracked remains of her ice armor melt, exposing even more windows of her bruised flesh.

Suddenly, Ulfric fashioned the fireball into a crude knife. Shadows danced in her face as he brought it close to the exposed skin of her stomach. "You'll be _begging _for death by the time I'm done with you..."

A shrill, blood-curdling scream pierced the air as he plunged the knife into her stomach.

* * *

Anna almost doubled over and retched on the floor when she entered the castle. The stench - one she would never have the luxury of forgetting - was everywhere. Pulling up her scarf alleviated the smell, but her eyes stung from the stench. Steeling her resolve, she pushed forward. She wandered cautiously in the dark hallway, her eyes darting back and forth.

The redhead was about to call out for Elsa when suddenly, a bone-chilling sound pierced the air. She paled, for it was unmistakably Elsa's scream. Anna took off running immediately towards the source of the scream, multiple scenarios playing out in her head.

None of them were in Elsa's favor. Pabbie's words of warning - that he foresaw bad events playing out should they separate - echoed in her head.

When she arrived at the ballroom, her heart crawled to her throat. There was no trace of Ulfric, but Elsa was lying naked on the floor, her ice armor having been melted. Although it was small, she could see a dark spot in the blonde's stomach, as if someone had painted a little circle of black paint on her skin.

Ignoring her brain's screaming to be cautious, Anna ran up to her fallen sister. The dark spot was no longer a spot - it was a burn. There was blood all over her lips and she was breathing shallowly. _Oh God_. She fell on her knees right beside her, placing a tuft of blonde hair away from her face. Elsa's eyes were open but slightly unfocused from pain. If Elsa had won against Ulfric, it had come with a cost.

"Elsa, what happened? Please tell me you killed Ulfric!" Anna said, almost breaking into tears. She took her hand in hers and immediately regretted in doing so when the blonde yelped. Elsa tilted her head slightly, trying locking with eyes with her.

It took a second for Anna to realize that Elsa was warning her.

A large hand suddenly seized her and flung her backwards. Anna gritted her teeth, slightly dazed. She glanced up and paled even further. Ulfric was still alive and well, the only injury he had suffered a cut in his leg.

He crossed his arms as he stared her down. "Your sister put up quite a fight. Unfortunately, she's no match at all for me. No match at all."

Anna stood up and took out her sword. She had only a few hours of sword training with Elsa, but she would fight to the death to protect her older sister and lover from this... devil. "You're going to pay for what you've done." Her voice was eerily steady.

Ulfric laughed at her threat. "Alright then, tell you what! Let's play a game. I'm not going to use any weapons or even fight back at all during this. You have ten minutes to try and kill me with your sword, little girl. If you fail..." The Mad Prince sneered at her cruelly. "Well, I hope you don't pass out on me this time."

Her vision turned crimson, and Anna rushed him, bringing her blade to bear. She failed to hit her mark however, Ulfric merely stepping out of the way. Undeterred, Anna swung around to strike him again, but the Prince stepped back just in time.

She kept coming at him, a white-knuckle grip on her sword. "Swinging your sword like a battle-axe is no way to kill me, girl!" Ulfric jeered as she missed him completely.

Adrenaline pumped in Anna's veins as she increased the fury of her turbulent assault. The Prince seemed to be enjoying himself, laughing with each miss of her blade. She was putting all her force behind each swing and thrust. If she could just get one hit on the bastard...

Seven minutes already passed, but Anna failed to land a blow. Breathing heavily and muscles starting to become sore, she spared a glance at her sister. Elsa was watching intently, but Anna sensed that her injuries were too severe for her to do anything at all but watch.

Elsa's life, her own life, and Arendelle's future depended on her to win. Rejuvenated by the fear of losing, Anna renewed her assault with a rage she never knew she was capable of. Sword swings came unbearably close with each miss, and stabs just missed by a centimeter. Even Ulfric was genuinely taken aback by her sudden show of ferocity.

"Now to think about it, you actually have potential in you. Perhaps there's something more than just the whore I pictured you to be."

Blinded by rage, Anna lashed out with a defiant scream. Her blade connected with something solid. Ulfric screamed loudly, pulling back from her, clutching the bloody stump where his left hand used to be. Anna gawked at the dismembered hand, stunned by the sheer luck she even struck him. Ulfric glared daggers at her, his eyes glowing red. "_You_..."

Anna's victory was short lived. A granite fist struck her square in the stomach, knocking all of the wind in her lungs as she was launched backwards. The bloody sword in her hands flew out of her grasp. Before she could even recover from the blow, Anna was lifted nearly five feet into the air by her throat. She could see Elsa struggling tremendously, desperate to do anything to help her.

Ulfric was no doubt in pain, but the man ignored it. He glowered at her. "I'm going to make wish for death!"

A sharp pain flared in the back of Anna's head as she was tossed onto the hardwood floor. Her vision turned blurry. "_Oh God_..."

Through unfocused eyes, she saw Ulfric leering down at her. The Prince turned his head in Elsa's direction. "You're going to watch as I take her again right in front of you!" He loomed over Anna, pressing his weight down onto her to pin her.

Panicking, Anna started haphazardly fighting back to get Ulfric off. The sharp crack of Ulfric's hand smacking her cheek stunned her. "I'll show you once again, how a _real_ cock feels like."

The temperature suddenly dropped. "_No_!"

What happened next was a blur. Ulfric was suddenly no longer on top of her. Warm liquid splattered all over Anna, momentarily blinding her. When she managed to clean her eyes, she was staring right at a large, bloody ice spike sticking out diagonally from the ground. She followed its length until she found Ulfric.

The Prince had been impaled clean through his gut and pinned against a column, but he was still alive. Whipping her head towards Elsa, she found her sister up on her feet again. The blonde's eyes glowed vermilion. "_You won't touch her ever again_..." she snarled with an inhuman, almost demonic voice.

Without even utilizing her hands, Elsa summoned another spike of ice to skewer the Prince mercilessly. And another. And another. And another. The Prince slumped over, his body slowly turning into ice.

The demon that exposed their taboo love for each other and tormented them, Crown Prince Ulfric of the Southern Isles, is dead.

Anna wrenched her gaze away from the Crown Prince's frozen corpse in time to see her sister collapse on her knees. Rushing up to her as fast as her feet can carry her, the redhead managed to catch her in time before Elsa fell face first against the floor.

She turned her over and cradled her, careful to not aggravate Elsa's injuries. Anna also noticed that her sister's eyes azure once more albeit unfocused. Her breathing was shallow. "Elsa? Elsa, can you hear me?" Anna choked.

She did not respond.

"Elsa? Please, don't leave me like this!" the younger girl sobbed, tears falling down her cheeks.

In a barely audible whisper, Elsa responded to her sister's cries. "It is finished..."

And then, Elsa shuts her eyes.

* * *

**A/N (again): **No, Elsa is NOT going to die.


	16. Raison d'être

For the first time in forever, I own Frozen! LOL JK, I own nothing of this wondrous movie.

**A/N**: Thank you all so much for favoriting, following, and reviewing Tears of Ice! I love you guys so much :') This is the last chapter before the epilogue!

_**Chapter Sixteen: Raison d'être**_

Elsa was floating.

Floating in the cold, unforgiving darkness. All alone, she felt naked, bare to the harsh elements and demonic creatures that lurk in the eternal black. She lost count for how long she drifted. _A day? A week? An eternity? _Elsa began to wonder if this is what death felt like. Suddenly, there was a soft tugging sensation right on her chest, becoming stronger by the passing second. A familiar, invisible hand was pulling her out of the black waters.

Life-giving oxygen fills her empty lungs as she bursts through the thick layer of darkness.

Elsa woke staring at a familiar ceiling above her - the ceiling of her bedroom. She looked down and saw that she had been dressed in a simple white shirt and pants. The traces of pain were the only remnants of the suffering she had endured before passing out. But at least breathing was no longer excruciating, and she can move her hands again.

"What happened?" she groaned as she sat up. She doesn't remember much except passing out after killing Ulfric. And the pure anger and power she felt. It wasn't the ice powers she knew... the power she used to impale Ulfric with were definitely _not_ something that she knew she was ever capable of.

A pair of arms abruptly wrap around her, nearly squeezing the air out of her lungs. It was her sister, who had kept a tireless vigil over her, waiting for Elsa to wake up. "Elsa," Anna sobbed repeatedly. The blonde was taken aback by the sudden gesture, but she awkwardly returns the hug.

"It's okay Anna, I'm awake. I'm fine," she said automatically. Tears blurred her vision, as the hundreds of things she wanted to say to the younger girl clogged her head.

The redhead turned her head to face her. Her eyes were heavily bloodshot, and there were dark bags under them. _How long did Anna skip out on sleep_? Before she could ask her, Anna interrupted her.

"No, don't you dare lie to me that you're okay. You've been asleep for three days, Elsa! If Pabbie didn't heal you in time, you would be dead!"

_Three days_. She blinked hard. Elsa remembered Pabbie had told her that she had been unconscious for roughly more than a day after her time in the dungeon. The fight with Ulfric took a greater toll on her body than the brutal scourging he inflicted on her. She made a mental note to compensate the shaman one way another after saving her life more than thrice.

She locked eyes with her. "Anna, I'm okay, see?" Holding up her hand, she experimently conjures a little puff of snow. Having her arms healed - no doubt by Pabbie's doing even though he was not in her room - reconnected the severed link between her powers and the conduit to summon it.

Anna didn't look convinced at all. She suddenly yanked the hem of her sister's shirt upwards, exposing the red scar that marred her stomach. Elsa grazed the scar with her fingers, wincing as the memory of the knife of fire impaling her stomach flashed in her head.

"Another one to my collection," Elsa joked darkly. Her sister gawked at her, slightly appalled by her rather stoic comment.

"How could you say that? You've been hurt so much and now -"

Elsa's lips silenced her. She kissed her only for a few seconds before pulling away. "Anna, shhh... I'm alright now, so don't worry so much. What matters most is that we have each other again and _Ulfric_," she said his name like it was venom, "is dead."

Her words soothed the redhead's anxiety. Anna buried her face into her chest, her tears staining the pure white shirt. "I'm just... I'm worried that I lost you all over again. First you ignore what Pabbie said and then you abandon me before battle."

Burying her face into her hair, Elsa closed her eyes and held her sister close to her heart. "I know how foolish I can act sometimes Anna. For that, I am deeply sorry," she whispered, "I failed in combating him and I let him break me. And then you came in and he almosts ..." she couldn't say the words.

"I remember..." Anna looked up at her. "By getting both of us in harrowing danger, that's how you managed to kill the bastard."

Elsa pursed her lips. True, the only reason she managed to overcome her injuries and slay Ulfric was seeing her sister in severe, but it felt... off. Her power had possessed her, allowing her to do a feat she never knew was possible: not using her hands to summon her birthright. But it felt _unholy_ to wield her birthright like that, even if it did manage to kill Ulfric.

"Anna, you don't understand -"

The redhead's face turned red with anger. "I don't care!" Anna interjected, "Because you didn't follow Pabbie's warning, you almost got killed! And before that, you _lied_ to me about bringing me by your side!"

"It was for your safety-"

_Crack_

Elsa recoiled at the slap Anna had just given her, unhurt but stunned. "What was that for?!" Elsa sputtered.

"That's for not listening to Pabbie and almost getting yourself killed."

_Crack_

Another slap from the girl struck Elsa. "And that's for lying to me."

Gawking wide-eyed at the girl, she was even more stunned when her younger sister pulled her in for a deep, heated kiss. With little choice in the matter, Elsa returned the redhead's abrupt kiss. They kissed for countless minutes, making up for days of missing each other's familiar touch.

"Forgive me Anna..." the blonde apologized between kisses.

Anna pulled out, glaring at her. An long, awkward silence followed before Anna finally spoke. "You're... You're forgiven, Elsa..." Anna said tearfully as she pulled out. She cracked a smile, one that Elsa couldn't help but return. "I hope that gets the message through your thick skull."

"Well you certainly got in my head, Anna. I swear to God," Elsa assured her, rubbing her slightly red cheeks.

"Good. Now don't you ever do that again to me!"

The two sisters stayed in her room, reveling in the other's presence for a few more minutes before Anna told her that Arendelle still awaited for Elsa to address them. They left the room, walking down the still stinking hallways hand-in-hand. When they reached the Great Hall, they found Kai, Gerda, Sebastian and the other servants waiting dutifully for them. Everyone except Sebastian looked worse for wear, covered in plenty of bloody bandages and casts but they smiled at the Queen and her sister as they approached.

"Greetings Miladies," they greeted.

"Where are the people?" Elsa asked, "I have to address them of our future."

"They're in the courtyard ma'am," Kai said.

Thanking him, Elsa pulled her sister along as they went up to the balcony to address them. She removed her worry about the dark side of her powers by burying it deep in the recesses of her head. Right now, there are bigger things to worry about. Like how will Arendelle react when she announces that Anna and her will not give up their love for each other.

The whole of Arendelle's populace packed the courtyard of the castle, having cleared the remnants of the gatehouse some time ago. From the amount of lighting, Elsa could tell it was roughly late morning. All eyes turn to Elsa, waiting for her to speak. The only sound was the gentle breeze that blew through the city.

She took a deep breath before speaking. "Good morning my fair people. The smoke has cleared, and the Battle of Arendelle is over. But now the long road to recovery awaits. All of us here in Arendelle have recently been through tremendous tribulations imposed upon us by a tyrant. But that time has come to an end, by my hand. No longer shall we suffer under the oppressive yoke of Ulfric's men."

Elsa felt her confidence skyrocket as the people cheered her. Inhaling again, she continued her speech. "Although all of us are traumatized and plenty of us have lost many friends and family members, rebuilding and moving on is the best way we can get Arendelle back on her feet."

More claps and cheers erupted, but Elsa held up her hand to silence them. _This is it_. She brought Anna close to her. "People of my country, I ask of you for one thing. Please accept the fact that I love Anna more than just a sister." Tension suddenly filled the air, but Elsa kept speaking. "If it were not for our love for each other, there's no doubt I would not have had the strength to liberate Arendelle."

The crowd stayed silent for five, long seconds. Elsa thought they were going to rush in and lynch her, but suddenly one person in the crowd bowed to them. And then another one bowed, and another, and another. Like a wave, the citizens of Arendelle kneeled before her, and soon everyone was kneeling reverently. Elsa blinked, not believing what she was seeing.

Anna leaned in close to her ear, "They don't care about whether we love each other as more than just sisters, Elsa. You've rescued them from hell, and there's nothing that will change that."

Smiling proudly, Elsa looked up at the sapphire heavens high above. For the first time in her whole life, she genuinely felt Fate smiling down upon her.

_Thank you_.

* * *

The next few days could have been the most grueling of the road to recovery. The day after Elsa's speech, Arendelle began the tedious task of rebuilding. Elsa's ice golems significantly bore the work load of the people as they swept the streets of debris. After that, they also helped rebuild the damages done to the city during the battle. Meanwhile, the dead of Arendelle were given a proper burial while Ulfric's thugs were disposed of in the mass grave far off from the city limits.

On the second day, the two sisters met with the trolls in the Valley. The trolls refused any form of compensation, despite being victims of Ulfric's tyranny and saving Elsa and her sister multiple times. Pabbie merely asked they stay together so Fate continues smiling down on them.

On the third day, work began on fixing Arendelle castle. Elsa had Ulfric's frozen corpse taken down from the pillar, and she beheaded him with Frostbite. Arnbjorn, her newly hired housecarl, gladly tossed the Crown Prince's head inside a crate.

"His father will declare war you know," Arnbjorn warned as he sealed the crate. Elsa scoffed, crossing her arms. The Southern Isles already were technically at war with Arendelle once Ulfric organized his scheme.

"He'll have to go through me then," she said with a simple smirk. Anna rested her head on her shoulder.

"Don't forget me! He'll have to go through me as well," she grumbled.

Arnbjorn laughed and easily hefted the little crate into his arms. "I'll make sure this will get _properly_ delivered to the Emperor." He then walked off, the crate making soft thumping sounds with each step.

The two sisters were now all alone in the throne room.

Elsa smiled and pulled Anna into her lap for a kiss, not caring at all whether someone will see them or not. After what they have been through, Elsa refused to let anything come in between her and Anna ever again.

"Don't worry, I will never forget you again. You'll always be by my side," she beamed at her sister and lover, happiness driving away the darkness in her, "no matter what happens."

* * *

_Two Months Later _

Never before has Arendelle seen blue skies such as now, the city having managed to regain its former glory and more with Elsa's leadership. Lord Clemenson and Elsa also commissioned a monument of ice in the shape of crocus - the royal symbol of Arendelle - to be erected in the city center as a testament of the battle they had endured. It bloomed every morning - courtesy of Elsa's powers - welcoming the sun's light and hope of a new future.

But not was all as it seems.

The wounds that Ulfric inflicted on Elsa - both physical and mental - will never fade nor be forgotten. As her guardian angel had warned her, they resumed haunting her after a two month grace period. The night terrors that she was suffering haunted her even more than it did her sister. It was only Anna's loving presence that managed to ease the agony the blonde suffered.

And so, tired of seeing her sister suffer, Anna decided to make her happy by getting her a gift.

"Okay Elsa, keep your eyes closed. Hey, I didn't say to open them yet!" Anna scolded as she pulled her sister down the hall.

"I didn't even open my eyes, Anna!" the Queen protested. Anna giggled and kissed her cheek lightly before pulling her off again.

After a few minutes, Anna stopped tugging her. "Okay, you can open your eyes."

She lifted her hand off her eyes. Elsa gasped as she gazed at the beautiful painting in front of her. It was her clad in ice armor mounted atop a rearing ice horse, ready to lead the cavalry charge down to the fjord. Her ebony cape billowed in the wind, and there was an expression of pure confidence in her face. The painting room had suffered heavy vandalism by Ulfric's men, so this particular painting of Elsa was the first of a new set to grace the newly renovated painting gallery.

"It's _beautiful_..." Elsa choked. She felt Anna wrap her arms around her waist, holding her close.

"I commissioned it from one of the master artisans in Arendelle, just for you," the redhead said proudly. "To you know, make you happy after all the nightmares you've been getting."

Elsa pulled Anna in front her, the redhead yelping lightly from the sudden maneuver. The blonde decidedly ended any of her protests with a kiss; crashing her lips against hers while wrapping arms around her neck pressing her body tightly against her own.

During her waking moments, it felt as if her nightmares never existed in the first place. And then, she remembered one of the visions her guardian angel showed her long ago during her near death experience. Since the first two most vivid visions were fulfilled, there's only one part left of the prophecy for it to come to full fruition. She had already had the little piece of jewelry for the occasion, keeping it by her side until she can find the right time to say it.

What's a better time than now?

Sighing, Elsa pulled out of the kiss. Her sister frowned, worried about Elsa's sudden change in mood. "What's wrong?"

"Can we have a moment in the garden?" Elsa asked in a somewhat timid voice.

A smile crept on Anna's face. "Of course, we can Elsa."

The February skies still shone blue as Elsa and Anna walked hand-in-hand in the garden together. Arendelle Castle's gardens still had to wait for spring to arrive to begin the replanting flowers due to damages, but this particular one suffered the least of the damages from Ulfric's men.

The cupid statue on the fountain still had his head, unlike his other nine brethren. Curtains of frozen water coated the fountain, as if Elsa had blasted it with a puff of freezing wind.

They sat at the base of the frozen fountain, with Anna sitting on Elsa's lap. "So what did you bring me out here for in this fine, cold day?" she asked with a wink. Elsa felt a bead of sweat drip down her face.

_You can do this. It was fated to happen. She's my reason to live in these dark times..._

Elsa reached into her ice coat, feeling for the little box she had placed in one of the pockets. Finding it, she pulled it out and held the delicate little white box in her hand. Anna's eyes widen, her cheeks blushing as she looked at the box. "Is that?"

"Yes..."

The blonde popped open the lid, revealing a gold ring adorned a little crocus of ice. Engraved on the inside the ring were the words _raison d'e__̂__tre _whilethe outside portion of the hoop bore the redhead's name_. _Anna started trembling in Elsa's arms as she gawked at the ring her sister got her.

Tears streamed down Elsa's eyes as she said the words. "Anna, my sister, my love... Will you marry me?"

Anna's response was instantaneous. "YES!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around her for a tight hug.


	17. Epilogue

**A/N: **Big shoutout/thank you to: FrozenFractals for inspiring me to write this story, and Shizuru1412 for inspiring the wedding scene with her sketches _Frozen Elsa Anna Royal Wedding Kiss Sketch_ and _Snow Queen Elsa Frozen 'Let it Go' in Tuxedo_

And a big round of applause for everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed/commented on Tears of Ice. You guys made me so happy, I'm gonna _**EXPLODE**_! This story would not be possible without you. Thank you very much!

_**Epilogue**_

One Month Later

Elsa was sweating. Not from anxiety or fear, but from sheer excitement. The special date - her wedding with Anna - has arrived faster than she ever thought was possible. For this special day, she wore a flowing ice cloak and the most exquisite ice suit she can imagine. Little iridescent gems of ice formed snowflake motifs on her clothes.

She fidgeted with her fingers while awaiting at the altar for her sister's triumphant entrance. "Are you nervous, my Queen?" Sebastian asked from beside her. The servant eagerly offered to be her by her side during her wedding, and he almost exploded with glee when she said she accepted his offer.

"No, I-I'm just..." Elsa can't spit it out, choking on her words. She felt a tear make its way down her cheek, freezing into a tiny bead of ice before it fell from her face.

Sebastian chuckled. "Don't have a heart attack, now!"

Elsa rubbed the corner of her eye. "I'm trying!" Staring into the guests inside the chapel, she found nothing but adoration and support in their faces. Lord Clemenson and Arnbjorn were giving her a thumbs up, and Kristoff was even smiling at her.

Lifting her head high, Elsa felt she could take on the world.

The organ suddenly starts playing the bridal march, and the chapel doors bursts open as if in response. In comes her favorite snowman, Olaf, throwing little petals of ice into the air as he skipped happily down the aisle. He had disappeared before the events with Ulfric, only to return again a few months from a trip to Sweden. But her focus was not on the the snowman.

Elsa swore she had heart attack right then and there, her jaw dropping open as she took in the sight.

Anna triumphantly marched in, escorted by Kai. She was clothed with a tailor-made wedding gown, the silver snowflake pattern shimmering on the white satin as she slowly walked towards the altar. Her face was hidden by her veil, but Elsa caught a few glimpses of her beaming smile. Elsa felt lightheaded, her cheeks flushing as her sister came ever closer.

_God, she's so beautiful._

"Wow," was the first word out of her mouth.

"Wow yourself," Anna snickered as she took her rightful place by her soon-to-be wife. Everyone took their respectful places in anticipation for the most _beautiful_ day to ever grace Arendelle.

Poor Elsa blushed bright red, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest from the storm of emotions inside her. Before she embarrasses herself even further, she nodded for the bishop to commence the ceremony.

The old bishop smiled at them, showing no hostility over the sister's love for each other. He cleared his throat before he began the ceremony.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together here in the sign of God – and in the face of this company – to join together our fair Queen Elsa and Princess Anna in holy matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all ; and therefore – is not by any – to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly – but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together – let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Elsa held her breath, waiting for that dreadful moment where someone snaps and denounces their marriage as an abomination.

_One. _

_Two. _

_Three. _

But as Fate would have it, no one objected.

Satisfied, the bishop continued his with the ceremony. He proceeded to recite the next few phrases of blessings and prayers in Old Norse, before finally switching back to Norwegian for the wedding vows.

Elsa gently took Anna's soft, warm hands in hers, and for a brief moment, they felt as if they were one. They locked eyes, tears streaming down both of their faces as the most wonderful moment in their lives come ever closer.

"Do you, Queen Elsa, take Princess Anna to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

Intense waves of emotion crashed down on Elsa. Gathering the strength to say the two simple words, "I do..." Elsa muttered faintly, barely audible to her own ears. But everyone heard her as if she spoke with a voice of thunder.

"And do you, Princess Anna, take Queen Elsa to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"

Elsa tried to stare into her sister's eyes through her veil, anxiously awaiting for her to say the words she longed so much to hear. Anna took a deep breath before saying in a rich, proud voice, "I do."

Sebastian reached into his pocket, taking out two golden wedding bands and eagerly handed the rings to them. Elsa smiled at her sister, trying her best to not break down in front of everyone. "With this ring, I symbolize my commitment to you. It will be an ever-present token of my eternal promise and my unending love." She lovingly slipped the band onto Anna's ring finger, catching a glimpse of the little words _raison d'être _that were engraved onto the hoop.

The redhead gently placed the remaining ring onto her sister's hand. Like her ring, this band too was etched with the words _raison d'être. _She looked into Elsa's watery eyes as she slipped the ring, repeating her sister's words confidently. "With this ring, I symbolize my commitment to you. It will be an ever-present token of my eternal promise and my unending love..."

A tense silence falls upon the land, as if the very earth was holding its breath. All eyes turned to the sisters as they awaited for the bishop's pronouncement.

A little smile cracked on his face as he declared their marriage. "And now, by the power vested in me by God, I hereby pronounce you wife and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Elsa reached out and tenderly lifted the white veil from Anna's face. Her sister - and now her new wife - was beaming at her. Closing their eyes, the two sisters embrace each other, with Elsa leaning down a bit to meet her sister's lips as usual.

All of the love they shared for each other, despite enduring so much pain, came together in one, loving kiss. The world narrowed until it was just them, the sounds of the cheering crowd drowned out by their synchronized breathing.

And for a brief but sweet moment, Elsa felt as she was in the eternal gardens of Paradise.

* * *

News of the sisters' marriage spread throughout Europe faster than a summer wildfire during the middle of July.

Two weeks after their wedding, Sebastian brought in a large sack into her study, interrupting the Queen. She had found a strange book in the library with strange, jagged runes in the pages similar to Old Norse but she could not decipher them.

"What's this?" Elsa asked as she glanced up, putting the book away.

"Letters from the Royal Houses of Europe. Though, I have a feeling what they already say," Sebastian said as he placed the sack on her desk. He bowed briefly to her before marching out to leave her be.

Elsa stared at the sack of letters Sebastian had delivered to her. She dared not open them yet, fully expecting them to have been written with hellfire in mind.

_They're probably condemning us to Hell._

But she has to open them nonetheless.

Seizing the topmost envelope, Elsa autonomously summons a letter-opener and slices it open with a quick flick of her wrist. She takes the letter out from the envelope and reads it.

_To the Harlots of Arendelle, _

_I, Crown Prince Mitsu of Adenia, hereby declare that all relations - including trade - between our respective kingdoms are hereby now null and void until the Queen of Arendelle, Elsa, renounces her heinous marriage vows with her sister. _

_You should have surrendered after you've been caught doing abhorrent deeds in the Solstice Ball. How base, how vile can one become? To marry their own sister and have no one object to it is a sin that deserves hellfire. _

_Nay, it is more than a sin. _

_It is an affront. A vile affront to God that must be extinguished. _

Elsa abruptly crumpled the letter to a little ball and hurled it to the roaring fireplace. Her knuckles were ghostly pale as she watched the letter crumple to ashes, anger pulsing in her veins. With a shaking hand, she proceeded to open and read the remaining hundred plus letters.

Foul words were written on all of them by the monarchs of Europe, all announcing their intent in locking out Arendelle from any political affairs. To add insult to injury, they denounced her and Anna with vicious insults and lewd curses. After reading only a quarter of each vile letter, she threw it in the fire. With each successive letter, she grew more and more impatient and hurt, all the happiness from her recent wedding being leeched.

_Don't they even care what I've been through?_ _Don't they even know how much pain I suffered to have Anna_? Tears streaking down her eyes, she flung another letter, this one from the Pope, into the sooty flames. She fidgeted with her black cloak, watching the snowflake design shimmer from blue to vermilion.

_They're probably treating Ulfric as a martyr_. The thought infuriated her, rousing the beast from its sleep that she had kept chained inside of her. She glares at the last remaining envelope. She didn't care who this one was from. It's probably just as bellicose as the last hundred she'd read.

The secondary door to her study suddenly opened, interrupting her. "Good morning Elsa!" Anna cheerily greeted. The redhead was still in her black nightgown - the one Elsa had gotten to her for their stay-at-home honeymoon - and her hair was messy as always. Anna's cheeriness disappeared when she noticed the dried tear marks on her cheeks.

"What's matter, love?" Anna asked as she went up to Elsa and sat in her lap. The blonde buried her face into her chest, sobbing softly.

"Arendelle..." she began, almost choking on her words with anger. "Everyone in Europe is cutting relations with Arendelle ... Just because of our love for each other!"

"Well how about this one?" the redhead asked as she took the lone letter in Elsa's hand and opened it. Her eyes widen as she read it.

_Dear Queen Elsa and Anna of Arendelle,_

_I congratulate you two on your lovely marriage! Despite what others may say about you two, I do not condemn your love for each other. _

_First of all, I have no reason to hate you two, for you have done nothing wrong against my kingdom. Second, you two have gone through hell and back and deserve it very much. And third, if it's true love, why not let it be? It doesn't matter if it's between two men, a man and a woman, two women, or two sisters. If you love each other dearly, then live and let be. _

_Also, I have heard that everyone is isolating Arendelle just because you two married each other. I however, will not do such a thing. Corona and Arendelle have had a long, rich history together, one that's been prospering for generations. And I will NOT let recent events undo our friendship. _

_As Queen of Corona, I declare my solidarity with your kingdom, whether you are married sisters or not. _

_Sincerely,_

_Queen Rapunzel of Corona_

"What do you mean everyone's cutting relations?" Anna said. "This one from Rapunzel-"

Quick as lightning, Elsa snatches it from her sister's fingers and skimmed it. While her words were kind and shone a ray of light in her heart, they were not enough to lift the heavy depression burdened upon the blonde's shoulders.

"Out of a hundred, only one was not rotten," Elsa spat. She stabbed a finger at the large cone of ashes in the choked fireplace. "See? That's how much people hate us now."

Anna wrapped her arms around her lovingly, comforting her older sister. "Elsa, don't worry about them. What matters now is that we have each other." She lifts her chin up and kissed her tenderly. Elsa moaned and leaned back, letting her sister take rein. "And believe me, I know you can handle any of them should they decide to act against us."

While her words were few, Anna's reassurance soothed the beast, and it retreats back into the black depths of her mind. "Thank you, my love," Elsa sighed, resting her head against hers.

"You're welcome." Anna lifted her chin up to look in her eyes. There was a mischievous glint in her teal eyes, one she only sees in the bedroom. "Since it's morning, why don't we have a little _breakfast_ to start off the day?" she said with a wink.

Elsa grinned at her. "Gladly!"


End file.
